Immortal Destiny
by Memet
Summary: Dark is Rising xover with Will (summary of series inside for those who haven't read it) Will the Watcher suddenly recieves a letter from Hogwarts and must find out his destiny and how will it affect Harry and the war with Voldemort?
1. Default Chapter

Title: Immortal destiny

Spoilers: Third year at Hogwarts, and anything from DiRS

Disclaimer -- Cooper owns DiRS and Rowling owns HP and I just to play so get off my back

Dark is Rising summary:  For those of you who haven't read the books (which I recommend by the way), Will is an part of the Light called an Old One and is immortal.  He was the last to be born and helped in ridding the world of the Dark.  He is the last Old One to be born and remains alone on earth to watch in case the Dark ever tried to return.  He was born an normal English boy and came into powers at the age of eleven.  Any other questions, just email me or better yet read the books.

NOT BETA'd – if you want the job contact me

Chapter 1 – Waiting and Watching

Will sat in the train carriage and sighed, looking out the window.  So many years had passed, but his reflection was still the same as when he'd first boarded a train.  Only for that train ride he had been heading to Wales to recuperate from an illness and find a strange white-haired boy.  

It had been thirty years since he had seen Bran, or anyone else that knew him as Will Stanton.  It had taken only a few years for his family to notice that Will wasn't aging – although, they only assumed that Will would be a late bloomer.  They didn't realize how late he would be.  

As an Old One, Will knew that at one point he would stop aging but had assumed it would not be for many more years.  Finally accepting that he would not age another year, Will died.  At least that's what his family and friends remembered.  The Old One had watched his loved ones for one last time as they gathered around his grave.  Then he left, and although he kept a careful watch over them and their children, they never saw him again.

So Will traveled the world, allowing himself to be periodically 'found' by social services and placed into foster homes; especially in those first few years, when the pain from losing his family was an open wound.  It was only when he was almost adopted did he no longer allow himself this luxury.  

As the pain faded, Will accepted his new life and took pleasure in retaining childish fancies that normally one gave up with age.  The Old One figured if he was going to look like a child for eternity, he would be able to enjoy the innocence and simple pleasures associated with childhood.

So, it was quite an astonishment for Will when an owl flew onto a book he was reading with a small letter addressed simply to 'Will'.  Not that the owl itself surprise, since Will knew about the Wizarding World as an Old One, but that he was receiving a letter from someone.  Seeing the Hogwarts' insignia, Will was shocked.  The letter confirmed the Old One's suspicions – he had been accepted to Hogwarts.  

On the bottom of the letter was a note from Albus Dumbledore that said that the school understood that Will was homeless and a teacher would be sent to assist in his preparations and give financial aid.  While it was true Will had no 'home', usually staying in places in other times, he did have money.  Quite a bit actually, since the Old Ones had kept a vault in Gringotts that all Old Ones had access to.  

The Old One pondered his choices; he could ignore the letter and disappear out of time for a while but that would be forsaking his duty as the Watcher; or he could attend this school but did they or did they not know he was an Old One.  Will knew of Voldemort, but had not intervened because although Voldemort was evil, it was the evil that stemmed from mankind and not the Dark.  But now that this opportunity had presented itself to look more closely into the situation, Will decided it would be prudent to accept and see how destiny unfolded.    

********************************

I wonder if they know I'm an Old One, Will thought curiously, not for the first time, as he exited the train and began searching for his new professor.  The Old One felt the ripple of power before spotting the professor with his eyes.  The elder woman appeared quite stern, but a quick probe into her mind revealed an abundance of sympathy for his 'wretched lot'.  It also revealed that she did not know he was an Old One. "Ah, Mr…," Minerva's voiced trailed off as she realized the orphaned boy apparently had no last name.  His name had appeared on the entrance transcripts simply as 'Will'.  Will waited patiently for her to recollect herself.  

"Will, let's proceed on, then, shall we?"  

It was not a far walk to the Leaky Cauldron and Will made certain to appear surprised when a pub 'magically appeared' when Minerva pointed it out for him.  As they entered the small pub, Will examined his surroundings with interest.  Minerva watched her charge with mild puzzlement; most muggle-born children react with more excitement.  This feeling deepened when Will's calm expression never wavered when the wall to Diagon Alley was opened.  

The afternoon proceeded quickly as they measured Will for robes, and bought school supplies.  Following Minerva closely, Will was surprised to suddenly find himself surrounded by owls, cats, and other animals.  Blinking, Will remembered the owl that had delivered his acceptance letter.

Minerva turned to the boy, strangely pleased at the startled look on his face.

"Will, you may choose an owl, cat, or rat as your pet for this year."  Minerva was about to recommend an owl, when she realized the poor boy had no one to send or receive letters from.

Will wondered around the shop, uncertain what he should choose.  Suddenly, the Old One felt a concentration of power from a cage, buried in the back behind the counter and covered with a black cloth.  The cloth was very dusty and appeared had not been removed from its place for some time.  

"May I see the animal that's under the cover, please?"

The storekeeper looked at Will in shock.  "Son, you don't want that creature – it's a black phoenix, otherwise known as a death phoenix.  They never take a master, and can kill a person with a single scratch."

Will tilted his head, and held out his arm.  Suddenly, the cage crashed to the floor and the black phoenix flew out the newly opened door – onto Will's arm.  Carefully, the phoenix regarded its new master, and mewling slightly caressed Will's cheek with its beak.

The two adults stared at Will in shock.  The storekeeper's face darkened when Will asked how much the phoenix cost.

"I won't take any money for that bird, or from someone that it calls master.  Just take the bird and go!"

Minerva and Will quietly left the shop.  Ignoring the startled gasps from passersby, the pair walked silently towards their last stop.  Minerva covertly watched her young charge.  Will appeared at ease with the hostility of the storekeeper, as well as the strangers in the street.  The black phoenix, now resting on Will's shoulder, watched their reactions with disdain.  A single thought settled uncomfortably in Minerva's mind, _Is this young boy allied with Voldemort?_

Will understood her concern, but was at amiss on how to relieve her off it.  It's true that death phoenix's don't take masters, but an Old One had nothing to fear because he immortal and could not be killed by a black phoenix.  Will had not wished to draw undue attention to himself, but events seemed to be forcing him in that direction.    

_I am Will the Watchman, youngest and last of the Old Ones to be born, _Will formally introduced himself in the Old Speech.

_I am Munin,_ the phoenix replied.  _I thought that you would never come to retrieve me._

Will was surprised by the information.  _You knew I was coming to Hogwarts?_

_Not exactly, _the bird admitted.  _I knew I was waiting for someone, hence the reason I allowed myself to be caged by that oaf, but I did not know for whom._  Munin preened.  _I am pleased that my master is none of than an Old One, and the last and one of the strongest._

Will smiled inwardly at the smugness in the bird's voice.  Further conversation was impossible since they had arrived at their final destination – Ollivanders.  

A few seconds after entering the shop, an old man appeared behind the counter, as if from thin air.  

"Ah, a new Hogwart's student I see, and quite a strapping lad at that," Mr. Ollivander's eyes twinkled, but soon grew puzzled as he studied the boy.  The old man had a talent for seeing the essence of people, a talent sharpened by dealing with wands whose natures were determined by their cores.  But this boy … for the first time the old man could not get a sense for the person in front of him.  It was as if the boy was not there, even though the old man could see him clearly.

Thus began search for the wand.

"Not even Harry Potter gave me this much trouble," muttered the old man several hours and hundreds of wands later.  As an Old One Will was not tired, but was finding the search tedious.  Three bodies started as the door opening, revealing the figure of Albus Dumbledore.

"Albus, what are you doing here?" Minerva asked in surprise.

With a twinkle in his eye, Albus replied, "I was curious as to what had caused you to be detained for so long."  Sobering, Albus regarded the young boy in front of him.  His eyes widened slightly as he noticed the black phoenix resting on the boy's shoulder, and the boy's apparent ease at its placement there.  Albus had spent much time trying to find information on the boy, but for the first time was unable to discover a thing.  

Realizing that he would looked at with suspicion no matter what he did, Will decided that he would find his wand himself.  Will pondered what type of wand would suit the nature of an Old One.  They were much like the dark phoenix, he realized, with the ability to kill and heal.  A balance between the generosity and love of the light, but the cruelty and hardness to protect it.

"Would all the wands containing the essence of a death phoenix, please, come forth?"

The adults were startled by the sudden statement, and then shocked when wands began to fly towards Will, hovering in front of him.  There were still too many to choose from, so Will thought some more.  The true difference between the Light and the Dark was intent – for they had similar powers.

"Thank you, now, do any of you also contain the freely given blood of an unicorn?"  If stolen, unicorn's blood was a curse, but freely given it was a blessing.  A fine line, but a distinction nonetheless.  

A single wand floated towards Will.  The Old One reached out to confirm what he already knew.  As he touched the wand, a bright light surrounded Will and he felt the comforting presence he had felt only once before when they had called the Circle.  Suddenly, Will realized that the wand had been made by Merriman, Merlin, his former master and the Oldest of the Old Ones.  The bright light condensed to form a human figure, with only the face visible.  The adults shook as the recognized the face of the greatest wizard ever.  Merriman smiled proudly at his pupil, and patted the boy's free shoulder.  Then, as quickly as it had appeared, the light vanished.

Will's grin vanished as he turned to see the expressions on his professor's faces.  

There Will found wonder, awe and lastly … fear.    

  

TBC 


	2. Ch 2 Housing an Old One

A/N: People reviewed! I 'm a little shocked, I wasn't sure anyone was going to read this.  I wasn't going to update for another week, but I got two lovely reviews so if you're enjoying this chapter you have **Ruth** and **MaraWeaves** to thank for it.  It'll be another week unless I get more review **hint hint**  

Chapter 2  -- Housing and Old One

Will sighed; another train ride, and another unchanging reflection.  Events after the incident at the wand shop had been rather unremarkable.  Will was given a room in the Leaky Caldron, and instructions to the train station to leave for Hogwarts the next day.  Now bound for the famous school of wizardry, Will pondered his duties as an Old One. 

As the Watcher, the Old One was bound to forever guard the world from the return of the Dark, but at the same time was forbidden to interfere with balance of power between humans.  How far should he allow himself to become involved in the war against Voldemort?  

Deep in thought, Will jumped when he heard the compartment door open. 

The shock turned to amusement as he realized that cause of his near heart attack was none of than the famous Harry Potter and his two sidekicks.  Before Harry could ask, Will graciously nodded and gestured to the seats in invitation.  The two boys and girl sat quickly as the train lurched as it began its progress towards Hogwarts.  

"Hi, my name is Hermione and this is Ron, we're both Griffyndors," the red headed girl said in an authoritative manner.  "And this is our friend Harry Potter."

All three children waited for the standard response of shock and awe – which never came.  Will smiled inwardly at the surprised faces of the children.  As an Old One, Will understood the heavy weight of a important destiny thrust upon your shoulders at a young age.  However, as a creature of the Light he could not allow sentiment to guide his actions.  

"How do you do?  My name is Will."

Ron leaned towards Will and whispered as if reported a dark secret, "Haven't you ever heard of Harry Potter?" 

At Will's puzzled expression, Harry quickly changed to the subject by asking Hermione, "So, Hermione, what extra reading did you do over the summer?"

Catching Harry's unease, Hermione quickly responded, "I was researching the legend of Merlin's Order.  I'm glad the summer is over, because now I have access to Hogwarts library."

_Merlin's Order? I wonder if that is a reference to the Old Ones…_Will thought.

"Blimey, did Merlin really exist?" Will asked in an innocent tone.

Ron groaned as Hermione warmed to her topic, adopting a lecturing tone.  Which, to Will's amusement, resembled the one Merriman used when Will had first come into his powers as an Old One.  

"It is said that Merlin was part of, or created, an order known as the Circle.  The order's members were the most powerful wizards of the time.  However, there has been no records of an order existing, nor have there been any descendants found of the original members."

_Interesting, the Circle is obviously a reference to the Circle of Old Ones, but the Wizarding World has no other knowledge of the Old Ones, _Will mused.  _They must ignore the folk legends as muggle fantasy, thinking the only magic in the world is their own._

Ron, desperate to avoid another long lecture from Hermione, asked Will, "So, Will, were you're parents really surprised when you received your letter?"

"Actually, my parents died when I was young."  The other children fell into an awkward silence.

"I understand, my parents were killed by Voldemort when I was just a baby."

This statement, or rather a single word, caused Ron and Hermione to cringe.  

"Harry!  Would you stop saying You-know-whose name.  I know you don't care, but some of us prefer not to tempt bloody fate," cried Ron.  

"Sorry" "Ron, don't swear!" came Harry and Hermione's simultaneous answers.  

At this, Will began to laugh which in turn set off the other three children.  When they calmed down enough, the four children began to chat with Will like old friends.  The Old One realized he had missed the sense of companionship between others who shared your destiny.  These young heroes reminded Will of another four children who had a grave duty thrust upon them and had not only risen to the occasion, but succeeded splendidly.

Eventually, Will raised a question.  "Hermione, what did you mean earlier when you said that you, Ron, and Harry were Gryffindors?"

The three were surprised for a second, having forgotten that their new friend was an first year – and muggle born.  Will gave off an aura of being older, and Harry felt kinship with the boy who had lost his parents early, like himself.

"All the children in Hogwarts are divided into one of four houses: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw," replied Hermione.

"What's the difference between the houses, and how are they decided?  Do you draw lots or something"

"No, they use a sorting hat which looks into your mind and decides where you're best suited to be.  Gryffindors are courageous and daring; Slytherins are manipulative and sneaky; Hufflepuffs are loyal and true; and Ravenclaws are intelligent and wise."

Will vaguely remembered references to houses when dealing with wizards, and though curious, he had not thought it important at the time.  Perhaps the house system played a greater role in the Wizarding World than he had originally thought.

"I wonder what house I'll be in?" Will wondered out loud.

His new friends all assured him that he would be in Gryffindor.  

The train ride ended quickly, and soon Will was gathered with the other first years.  As they entered Hogwarts, the Old One was amused as he watched his classmates gape at the extravagant hall.  The spells used to create the hall were rather simple, especially for an Old One, but created quite an impressive view.  

Minerva welcomed the first years and the hat sang his welcoming song; but all the while Will felt the gaze of the headmaster.  

_Probably worried about where my dark phoenix has gone_.  Will chuckled at the thought, and it was to prevent panic that the Old One had asked Munin to remain out of sight.  Since black phoenixes preferred the shadows, Munin was all too happy to agree.

The other first years were welcomed to their new houses until only Will remained.

"Will!" Minerva read, and the hall grew silent as the boy will only a first name approached the Sorting Hat.

Will kept his mental shields firmly in place as the hat was set upon his head.  Not necessarily to keep any secrets – for he knew the hat was designed to only see surface thoughts and tendencies rather than memories – but to prevent the hat from being hurt by the power of his mind.

The hat was silent as it tried to probe to boy's mind.  Trying, and not succeeding.  Will slowly allowed his surface thoughts to be read.

_I'm sorry I'm blocking you from my mind, but I thought this would be the safest way._

The Sorting Hat jumped in surprise, and responded only to Will.

_How are you able to block me?  No one has ever done so before!_

_It may be that they have never tried, but I wished to talk to you before you began to probe my mind for my house._

_Ask away, young wizard._

_Which house was Voldemort in?_

The hat was shocked at the question.  How could a boy this powerful not know something as simple as that?

He was in Slytherin, in fact, he was the heir to Slytherin.  Did you not grow up in the Wizarding World?

No.  I was raised by muggles until I began to live on the streets.  I sensed within a boy, Harry Potter, a connection to Voldemort.  Yet, the boy is in Gryffindor.

Yes, young Potter.  Voldemort tried to kill him but succeeded in only scarring the boy – Potter now has access to Voldemort's powers.  Though whether Voldemort is still alive is anyone's guess.  

Thank you, I will allow you access my mind.  But, do tell me if it becomes painful.

The Sorting hat was about to retort that that was not likely to happen when it was poured over by the power of the boy's mind.  Dimly, the hat realized that Will was tempering his power, allowing the hat to regain its senses.  The sheer power of Will's mind shocked the hat.  Never had it felt such power; not from Dumbledore, Tom Riddle, or Harry Potter.  

Beyond the power was a sharp intelligence.  He would do well in Ravenclaw.  But the courage surging from the depths was powerful, as well as his ruthlessness in achieving his aims.  Such a strong personality would be too much for Hufflepuff, for certain.    Intelligence did not necessarily mean a Ravenclaw; for Hermione was doing quite well in Gryffindor.  Hmmm…but there is cunning and ruthlessness.  A practicality and willingness to do whatever is necessary to achieve his ends; that is definitely the characteristic of a Slytherin.

This boy would do well in any of these three houses.

The hat continued to mull over its decision, as the time passed until fifteen minutes had already gone by.  The students waited breathlessly, their hunger momentarily forgotten by the unusual event.  Harry, Ron, and Hermione were anxious as they watched their friend calmly wait the Sorting Hat's decision.

They, too, had been surprised that Will had no last name.  Harry suddenly felt very glad that even though he no longer had his parents, at least he knew others who knew them.  Will must have no one.

Albus and Minerva exchanged glances.  The boy was a walking contradiction; muggle raised yet calm about the use of magic; master to a death phoenix, yet was greeted by the spirit of Merlin; whose wand contained both the essence of death and the essence of life.  Which house would he be placed into?

I'm sorry to be a bother, but it appears the other students are growing rather restless.  Would you like to see more of mind, in order to have a better understanding of which house I should belong?

The Sorting Hat was surprised at the sympathetic offer, and wondered what else the boy could show him.  Although it most likely would not help, he was intrigued by what else may lie hidden behind Will's shield.  Instead of dropping his shield, Will brought forth memories to show the Sorting Hat. 

The Sorting Hat saw Will surrounded by his family at a young age, happy and content; Will in dozens of foster homes and finally taking to the streets; Will with friends with a feeling of responsibility, urgency, and determination flowing through the memory.  Finally, a memory of the feeling of completeness and happiness and light.  The hat did not know where the memory was occurring, or details, the feelings in the memory were overwhelming.  

Will had chosen memories that would not reveal his nature, but had shown the hat the feelings he had experienced when the Circle was called during the rising of the Dark.  It was his way of apologizing for being a difficult 'patient'.  

In a gruff voice the Sorting Hat thanked Will for the memory.  _I never felt such peace in any mine before, and I believe I now know where to place you.  Ravenclaw's are always searching for more knowledge – never sated – and Slytherin are driven by ambition and thirsting for power.  So I name you …_

"Gryffindor!"

Will smiled gently the hat.  As it was placed back on the stool, Will surprised everyone by bowing deeply to the hat, and the surprise increased as the hat gave a bow in return.  The Old One walked towards Gryffindor table, pleased to see that Harry patted the space next to him.

Will sat down and smiled at his friend and fellow house-mates.

"The Sorting Hat is a marvellous fellow, isn't he?"

TBC


	3. Ch 3 Magical Creatures

A/N:  I've written a prequel to this story called 'Mortal Destiny' – it's a songfic about Will leaving his family and its in the Dark is Rising Sequence category.  And special thanks to my friend Shi who is my source for obscure HP lore – well, obscure for me since I haven't read the third book (I'm getting around to it, I swear!)

Ruth and MaraWeaves – First off, the trio are in third year and Sirius will be involved.  Secondly, as a hint, I will tell you there will be a time travelling bit – but I won't say to when or to whom.  Thanks for the reviewers and I hope you enjoy the next chapter.   

Chapter 3 – Magical Creatures

For an Old One, the use of other elements to augment his power was not a foreign concept.  However, it took some time for Will to adjust to using his wand.  Often he would begin a spell, only to realize halfway through that he had forgotten his wand, yet again.  Unfortunately, Will once failed to notice in time and surprised the professor and students by completing the spell without the aid of his wand.

Wizards, forced to use wands as amplifies, only were able to use wandless magic after years of study and only with great power.  Will's effortless ability had caused some debate amongst Hogwarts' occupants.  Half the students were positive that he was an agent of Voldemort, while the other half thought he was a descendent of Merlin. It didn't help matters when the professors tested his ability and decided that he would learn nothing by attending first and second year courses.  Instead, they made an exception and sent him directly to third year.

Will suspected that Dumbledore felt more comfortable with him near Harry Potter, where the boy would notice danger if it was there.  Fortunately for Will, his new friends refused to believe the rumours – though they remained curious at Will's abilities.  The Old One was not entirely put out by the new advancement; though he had been forced to listen to Hermione complain about not being able to skip a year.   

It was shortly after he began attending third year courses, that Will found the Old Way within Hogwarts.  Upon his arrival, the Old One had sensed the presence of an Old Way near, but it had taken some time to locate it.  The Old Ways were paths that stretched out across England, and no harm could come to a creature of the Light while he was stayed on the path.

Will found the doorway while wandering the halls, and noticed a picture of Merriman on the wall.  The Old One realized that the password would have to be something that no mortal would ever be able to know, or say.  In the Old Speech, Will said, _The mountains are singing, the lady will come_.  It was the last line from the prophecy regarding the last rising of the Dark. The door opened and Will recognized the room from the book of **Graymere**.  Inside Hogwarts was the great Sanctuary of the Old Ones, created by the first Old One for the rest.  From there, Will could travel to any of the Old Ways stretched across England and the world.  

After finding the Sanctuary, Will was called to Dumbledore's office.  Finding the headmaster at work at his desk, the Old One grazed his mind for an idea what he had been called before the powerful wizard.  Will was amused to learn that Dumbledore had Hogwarts and the surrounding area encased in a spell, where if any magic was done he would know what the spell was and who was responsible.  Unfortunately for the headmaster, this spell was unable to penetrate the Old One's defences or that of the Sanctuary.  

Dumbledore finished his paperwork and was surprised to see his student calmly listening to Fawkes as he chirped away.  The phoenix was an excellent judge of character, and it eased some of the headmaster's worries as he watched the bird obviously taking a liking to Will.

Will, in turn, was also relieved by the phoenix.  It had already met Munin, and they had developed a truce of sorts.  Fawkes was quick to tell the Old One that his master was good and kind and worthy of the assistance of an Old One.  Will agreed to take the bird's advice into consideration, and turned to see the headmaster done with his work.

"Please, sit down Will.  Would you like a lemon drop?" Dumbledore asked with a twinkle in his eye.

Realizing the headmaster was likely to have candy infused with _Veritus_, Will accepted with a small smile.  The serum didn't work on Old Ones, but Will decided he would tell the kind headmaster as much as he could.

"Will, how are you enjoying your time here at Hogwarts?"

"I'm good, professor.  I've made three really good friends."

"The magic lessons haven't been challenging for you.  Were you taught wandless magic by someone before?"

Will paused as he considered what he should say.  It was obvious someone had taught him some magic, and continuing to deny the fact would only make him even more suspicious.  

"Yes, I was.  His name was Merriman but he only taught me for a year before he left this world."  Will phrased his answer in such a way that it wasn't lying, but the professor would draw to an obvious, if erroneous, conclusion.

"Was your teacher allied with anyone?"

This question was harder.  The Old One realized that the Wizarding World had no idea about the Light or the Dark.  

"My teacher was not allied with anyone," he said slowly, "but said that we can only align ourselves with the light inside of us and do what it told us was right." 

"Thank you, Will, you can go now."

Will left the room, and McGonagall and Snape entered.

"Do you think we can trust the boy?" Snape asked.  Dumbledore stroked his beard thoughtfully.

"It's not a widely known fact, but Merlin went by other names as well.  One of those, I believe, was Merriman."

************************************

Will rushed across the school grounds, silently cursing Dumbledore for not thinking to give him an excuse for being late to his next class.  He was only lucky that it was Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid.  So intent on arriving to class on time, Will failed to notice the mass of power heading towards Hogwarts.

The Old One reached the group in time to hear Hagrid tell the students to group together and introduce themselves to one of the three Hippogrifs.  Will looked around anxiously, not knowing very many of the students.  Thankfully, the Intrepid Trio motioned for him to join them as they waited in line.

"Will, why were you so late?" Harry asked anxiously, worried about his new friend.  Will offered the boy a smile, trying to reassure him.

"Professor Dumbledore just wanted to make sure I was adjusting to taking third year classes," he explained.  

"Not that you need adjusting, you're already rivalling Hermione for marks," Ron quipped. 

Hermione just scowled at Ron, but before she could say anything they found themselves at the beginning of the line.  Unfortunately, it was also Draco's turn.  The prince of Slytherin smirked as he watched the Gryffindor trio babysitting the eleven year old.

"I see the great Boy-who-lived is living up to his reputation and performing the dangerous task of babysitting an eleven year old version of mudblood."

Harry was about to retaliate when he felt a hand on his arm.  Turning around to tell Hermione that Draco deserved to be told off, he was surprised to see it was Will.  Looking into the younger boys eyes, Harry felt all his anger drain away.

"Okay, Harry, make sure your real polite to the Hippogrif and give them a bow, and you'll do all right," Hagrid said, startling Harry out of his daze.  Nervously, Harry bowed to the animal and gave a polite hello.  Draco sneered and said, "These dumb animals don't know if your being polite or not," giving the Hippogrif a pat on the head.

Immediately, the animal squawked angrily and rose on its hind legs to tear at Draco with its talons.  The other students fled and the Slytherin boy backed away in horror, only to lose his balance and fall.  Suddenly, Will appeared in front of the fallen boy.

"My friend here is terribly sorry for his rude remark, could you please refrain from any violence," Will asked in a calm and polite, but firm, voice.  The animal went down on all four and stared at the boy.  The Old One paid no homage to the beast, but the Hippogrif knew better than to demand that of an Old One.  So to the surprise of everyone, the Hippogrif kneeled on his forelegs in a bow – which Will acknowledge with a nod. 

Before anyone could react, the air was filled with the cry of a dragon.  Though wild dragons were rare in England, there were a few and one just landed in front of Hogwarts.  The professors and Dumbledore raced out of the castle, astonished to see the flying creature standing calmly by the edge of the Forbidden Forrest.  They were about to cast a spell when a small figure approached the dragon.

"Don't, Will, dragons are dangerous!" Harry cried, certain his friend didn't realize the danger he was in.  But Will realized that it was partially his fault for the dragon's arrival.  Dragon's were creatures of Wild Magic, which was why they could never be tamed.  However, they were often attracted to either the Dark or the Light.  While none of the wizards had been able to sense his power as an Old One, Will realized the dragon must have sensed him and came to introduce himself.

_Hello, I am Will the Watcher, youngest and last of the Old Ones, _Will said in the Old Speech.

_Greetings, Old One.  I sensed your power and felt I should make it known that I am allied with the Light.  I extend my congratulations for your successful defeat of the last rising of the Dark._

_Thank you, however, I fear my comrades have been frightened by your arrival._

_Do they not realize who you are?_

_I fear that it is forbidden by the High Lords for wizards to be told of the Dark and the Light, lest their involvement destroy the world.  They appear to have no interest in the old folklore – though they appear to have their own folklore involving Merlin's Order. _

_That is true, but do not underestimate Albus Dumbledore; he knows all the legends and believes there is truth in all of them.  _

_Yes, I believe he already has a suspicion as to whom my master was, but I shall deal with the situation as it arises.  _

_Before I leave, I would ask a favour of you, which you may claim at anytime._

_I am deeply honoured you would offer such a trade.  Ask away, my friend._

_I have heard of your voice, Old One, and ask that you may sing for me._

Will was surprised at the request.  The greatest joy the Old One had received was that his inability to age allowed him to retrain the high soprano that had made him the envy of other singers.  He had sung for his supper and board many times when he had no place to stay.  Will bowed his head in acceptance and opened his mouth.

**I pray you'll be our eyes  
And watch us where we go  
And help us to be wise  
In times when we don't know  
  
Let this be our prayer  
As we go our way  
Lead us to a place  
Guide us with your Grace  
To a place where we'll be safe**  
  
  


Will's high pure voice echoed against the castle walls, filling not only Hogwarts but the Forbidden Forrest as well with its song.  Everyone watched in astonishment as unicorns walked calmly up to the singing boy and lay by his feet.  The Old One began to place his power into his voice.

**La luce che to dai (The light that you give us)  
I pray we'll find your light  
Nel cuore resterò (Will stay in our hearts)  
And hold it in our hearts  
A ricordarchi che (Reminding us)  
When stars go out each night  
L'eterna stella sei (That in my prayer)  
Nella mia preghiera (You are an everlasting star)  
Let this be our prayer  
Quanta fede c'è (There's so much faith)  
When shadows fill our day  
Lead us to a place  
Guide us with your grace**

 _  
_A wave of contentment flooded the occupants of Hogwarts, even professor Snape.  The unicorns neighed softly in appreciation and the dragon just listened with rapt attention.  The edges of the forest were now littered with a variety of creatures.

**Give us faith so we'll be safe.   
Sognamo un mondo senza più violenza  (We dream of world with no more violence)  
Un mondo di giustizia e di speranza  (A world of justice and hope)  
Ognuno dia la mano al suo vicino  (Grasp your neighbors hand)  
Simbolo di pace e di fraternità  (As a symbol of peace and brotherhood.)  
  
La forza che ci dai  (The strength that you give us)  
We ask that life be kind  
E'il desiderio che  (Is the wish)  
And watch us from above  
Ognuno trovi amore  (That everyone may find love)  
We hope each soul will find  
Intorno e dentro a sé  (In and around himself)  
Another soul to love  
  
Let this be our prayer  
Just like every child  
Needs to find a place,  
Guide us with your grace  
Give us faith so we'll be safe  
  
E la fede che (And the faith that)  
Hai acceso in noi (You've lit inside us)  
Sento che ci salverà (I feel will save us.)**

The Old One's voice faded away in silence.  And just when the humans thought they could be surprised no more, the dragon rose up and gave a low bow to the eleven-year old boy.  With that he was off.

With a start, Will felt a sudden weight on his shoulder and knew who it was only by the gasps of fear.

_Why appear now, Munin?  I thought we agreed your appearance would cause panic?_

The bird squawked with sardonic laughter.

They've just watched an eleven-year old boy tame a dragon by singing to it; I don't think I'm the one you should worry about causing the panic!

TBC

Disclaimer:  This is not my song: its off of Josh Groban's self-titled cd and was written by Carole Bayer Sager and I got the transcript off of www.grobania.com -- He's a great artist, everyone should get his new cd 'Closer'

      

      


	4. Ch 4 Powers

A/N:  Wow, people are reviewing this story – I think I'm going to go into shock.  I so glad you are all enjoying this xover – hidden in the depths of the HP category that it is.  

**Jack** --  I'm glad your enjoying the fic, and thank you so much for reading the prequel AND reviewing.  Yeah, I was disappointed when I couldn't find any stories with Will staying forever as a child so I thought I'd write my own.  

**Obdormio – **Dumby and Minnie didn't react mainly because they were in shock (even you ever see something REALLY unexpected you're more likely to completely freeze before you overreact) and I thought they had too much self-composure to react wildly.  As for Will keeping Munin, do you really think they would have been able to STOP Munin from following Will?  The things a bloody death phoenix!  Also, this is after seeing Merriman so Dumby and Minnie are feeling pretty ambivalent towards Will right now.  As for his name appearing now instead of at his birth – I kinda didn't know about it.  I was under the impression the names appeared at the beginning of the next school year or something.  So thanks for pointing it out, it gave me a great idea for this chapter, so you will get your answer then.  Thanx for reviewing, you gave me a great idea and it keeps me on my toes!

**Sasigirl** – Thank you so much for the review, I'm glad someone else likes to see Dumbledore completely flummoxed for once!  I've always felt sorry for Will, and I'm glad too that he's able to go to Hogwarts

**Maraweaves­** – Ah, one of my favourite two reviewers, I'm so glad I haven't disappointed you so far.  I loved imagining his voice too, which is why I finally settled on Josh Groban/Charlotte Church song (more for her voice than his though).  I'm so glad you're going to read the books again – my own copies are worn out from use!  

**Ruth – **My other favourite reviewer, I'm glad you enjoyed Will's singing.  It took me forever to find the right song for him to sing.  As for Munin's humour, let's just say Munin is going to be saying everything I would say if I was in the story – so expect a lot of one liners and sarcasm!  

Now, pretty much all of you commented on the fact that Will seems to be showing his powers awfully quickly.  It's funny that I would do something like that isn't it?  Poor Will, he's trying so hard to keep acting normal and it's almost as if something is preventing him from doing so…. (this is the part where I trail off with a sly smile and leave you all wondering what I meant by that.)

Chapter 4 – Powers 

Will sat in the Sanctuary thinking.  Ever since the visit by the dragon, the entire population of Hogwarts seemed to be avoiding him.  His disappearances into the Sanctuary, where not even Dumbledore could find him, wasn't helping matters.  But at this point, Will was at a loss.  Ever since coming into his powers, Will had never failed to protect his secret in such a manner before.  The last time was when he had confessed to his brother Stephan, but he had protected his secret by having the white moths carry his older brother's memories away.

Will sighed.

Unfortunately, the same situation didn't apply here.  The magic of Hogwarts didn't affect his powers as an Old One, but they could still produce interesting affects if they interacted with someone whom Will had used his powers on.  For example, if the Old One were to erase everyone's memories.  

_Of all the bloody times for the dragon to come visiting, he had to choose that moment._

The Old One stopped, repeating his own thought over in his head.  Why _had _the dragon come at that moment?  It was not the work of the Dark, nor had it any essence of the Light.  Wild magic was just that, wild, and would have no ambitions to do other than what was in its nature.  So that only left…

Standing, Will regarded the many doors that led to the Old Ways.  He opened one that was sealed by runes, and suddenly found himself in the middle of Stonehenge.  It was night, and Will searched his senses to determine _when _he was.

"Relax, Old One, there is no need for you to know when you are, merely that you are here," carried a voice from the darkness.

Will turned sharply, then kneeled as he recognized the person.  The Pendragon walked regally towards the boy and came to stand just before the kneeled figure.

"You need not kneel to me, Watcher.  As the last of the Old Ones, you have the right to stand before me as an equal."

Will did so, and asked his question, "Lord Arthur, have you been interfering in the world of man since your crossing?"

"No, the events that have been occurring have been done by the Earth itself.  I am here to act as proxy for that magic, since it cannot speak to you directly."

Will was surprised.  The magic of the Earth was completely neutral like the High or Wild Magic, but with no ambition or purpose either than to simply exist.  For it to take the initiative and cause events was unheard of.

"Why has it done this?  It is contrary to its very nature."

"Ever since the Light and Dark left this world, the fate of the world now completely rests with that of mankind.  However, the Earth also has a vested interest in its own survival, since its only real purpose is to exist.  Apparently, with no one fighting for it on the cosmic scale as the Light and the Dark had, it has taken the task upon itself.  However, it can only induce events through causality by initiating events that will trigger the desired results."

"Like a butterfly flapping its wings will cause a hurricane across the world," the Old One mused.

"An apt comparison.  However, the Earth has decided it needs an agent, and as I'm sure you've surmised, it has chosen you, Will the Watcher."

The Old One was stunned by this new knowledge.  In the eons it has existed, never before has there ever been the possibility of the Earth developing its own will.  It did explain the sudden cascade of events in his life after thirty years of relative peace.  Will frowned as he considered a flaw in the proposition.

"How will I be able to discern the Earth's wishes if I cannot speak to it without a proxy?  Also, I am the Watcher – it is my duty and I cannot have anything interfere with it."

"Peace, Old One.  You will find that the duties as an Old One will not interfere with those as an agent of the Earth; in fact, Merriman has informed me that they are one in the same.  When you receive your new powers as an agent, you will also receive the ability to link with the Earth directly."

"New powers?  Will I also be given the ability to control these powers?"  Will asked suspiciously, his mind drawing a nasty conclusion.  The Pendragon chuckled.

"I'm sure you've already guessed, Old One.  You are now the First and Last Earthan and as such your powers are your own to discover and control."

The Old One winced.

"Which means you have no idea what powers I will develop or how long it will take to learn to control them, even with all of my knowledge.  That was the reason for forcing me to expose my powers so quickly, because I soon will be unable to prevent their leakage."

"Very wise, Old One.  That was the intent of the Earth, but it also forced you to search out an answer which in turn brought you to me."

The Old One considered for a moment, though knew his decision was already made.  Merriman had already said that his duty as an …Earthan…and an Old One were the same – other than that he had no objections.  He only hoped he would be able to control his powers quickly.  But given the strong essence of Earth magic, he rather doubted it.

"Very well."

*********************************************

Harry walked through the common area with frustration.  He had spent most of the day looking for Will, only to find that not only had he not shown up for classes, he wasn't in the Gryffindor dorms or common room either.  Meeting up with Hermione, she confessed that she hadn't been able to find a trace of the boy either.  Ron had refused to look, stating that Will was probably a follower of Who-know-who since he was able to sing to dragons.

Though Ron had a point, Harry didn't think so.  How could anyone who sang with such beauty and peace be evil?  But the boy wizard hadn't been able to get Will alone to tell him that.  The younger boy was either disappearing or in class; Harry was sure that Will was doing it to avoid the stares or practical jokes of the other students.  Potter had already made Fred and George promise not to play any practical jokes at the younger boy's expense.  

Not that anyone could find Will when he chose not to be found.  Even Professor Dumbledore appeared confused as to the strange boy's whereabouts.  The only place Harry hadn't looked was the Forbidden Forest.  He was across the grounds and about to enter when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

Wincing, the boy turned around and was surprised to find that it was Dumbledore.

"Mr. Potter, may I ask why you were about to enter the Forbidden Forest?"

"I've been looking everywhere for Will because I was worried about him.  And this was the only place I haven't looked yet, so I thought that maybe…" Harry trailed off with a pleading note in his voice.  To his surprise, the headmaster chuckled.

"Well, Mr. Potter, it would seem we think alike.  I was just on my way to see if I couldn't locate the boy myself.  Shall we?"

Overjoyed, the Boy-who-lived didn't wait to be asked twice – or be forbidden – and dashed in the forest.  They searched for a half-hour before they heard a crash and a voice.

"Would you be quiet, Munin!  I can't concentrate with you making those remarks – at my expense!"

Following the voice, they were able to get close enough to hear the chirping of what sounded like a bird.  Harry's eyes widened when he realized that it sounded like Fawkes.

"Et tu, Brutus?  Look Munin, you're a bad influence on Fawkes.  Next thing we know, he'll be dying his feathers black and being sarcastic."

The two rescuers came upon the clearing, finding two apparently laughing phoenixes and one irate boy.  The area to one side of the clearing was covered in ice, while a branch was slowly burning away next to demolished boulder.  The boy in question was drenched, but with no rain clouds or rivers near by Harry was at a loss to explain why.

"Will?  Are you alright?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"Harry?  What are you and Professor Dumbledore doing here?" Will asked in mild surprise, but didn't appear to be giving them his full attention.

"I have a preference to knowing where my students are, especially if they are foolish enough to enter the Forbidden Forest," Dumbledore remarked in the voice that usually caused students flush and stammer apologies.  Will did neither of these, still staring intently on the smouldering branch.    

"I thought it would be better if I wasn't around people until I got these bloody powers of mine under control."  Will answered, while raising his hand towards the burning branch.  Suddenly, there was a sudden burst of rain that put out the fire – but also left the three of them completely soaked.  This set the phoenixes laughing – again.

Will looked at the two soaked rescuers and smiled a crooked grin.  

"At least this time I put out the fire."

***************************************************

Harry and Will huddled around the fireplace, trying to warm up from their sudden soaking.  Even though they had used a spell to dry their clothes, the rain had left them chilled to the bone.  Will noted the effect with detached amusement as he watched Harry huddle closer to the fire.

Behind them, the phoenixes continued their commentary about Will's prowess.  Finally, the Old One had enough and commented to the other boy that the fire might be hotter if they threw on something with a lot of fat.  Harry laughed as the chirping birds suddenly quieted.

"Can you really talk to them?" he asked curiously.

"Unfortunately.  I've been listening to their comments for the last few hours.  Munin has been nothing but a bad influence on Fawkes."

Harry fell silent again.  Out of the corner of his eye, he regarded the younger boy.  Will just seemed so completely ordinary; looking at him you would never think there was anything out of the ordinary about him.        

"Will?  How did you make it rain?  You never used your wand or even chanted a spell."

"Yes, I believe I would like to know myself."

Dumbledore's sudden entrance, along with Minerva and Snape, caused Harry to jump.  But Will just sat staring at the flames.

"A few months ago, before I received my letter from Hogwarts, I found this jewel.  Being hungry, I thought I could pawn it for some cash but when I put it on something happened.  All this energy filled me and I began to hear things – from trees, fires, birds … everything.  That's how I knew to do all those things, because everything around me was telling me.  At the wand shop the wands were explaining what type of wand I should have – I just repeated what they said out loud."

"But how are you able to perform spells without your wand?" Minerva asked.

"I think it's because I'm not a wizard exactly.  I mean, my power comes from inside like a wizard – but that power was placed there by something else.  I can focus the power through the wand but I don't necessarily have to.  If I don't use the wand, though, the magic doesn't always work.  I think that's why my name appeared on the list now instead of at my birth, because I _wasn't _a wizard until I found the stone."

When I was a normal boy, I never told anything but white lies.  Now that I'm a powerful, immortal being it seems I do nothing but lie.  I only hope they accept the story, the Earth doesn't want wizards to know about its will just yet, if ever.  It is, however, as close to the truth as I can make it – I wasn't similar to a wizard until the Earth took steps to place me here at Hogwarts.  

"You explained to me that a man named Merriman taught you to use your powers," Dumbledore asked, looking at Will intently.

The boy nodded.

"I figure came from pendant when I put on the stone," he replied, "and he sort of put all this knowledge in my mind before he disappeared."  

"The only other time I saw him was when I received my wand," the Old One added, realizing the headmaster already suspected Merriman's identity.

Will handed over a small pendant.

"This is the jewel, but it doesn't do anything anymore."  In reality, the stone was a warestone that would allow Will to keep an eye on those that wanted to know more about Will and the pendant.  

The adults accepted the explanation and allowed the two boys to leave.  Using the warestone, Will listened to their conversation.

_"Do you believe the boy, Albus?" Minerva asked._

_"I didn't sense any deception from the boy, and his story does explain many things.  However, I have such difficulty sensing anything from the boy."_

"If it was the spirit of Merlin that taught the boy, it would seem we've been given a powerful tool to fight Voldemort," Snape commented. 

_"I think we shall wait and see how the boy develops.  Harry has already befriended Will and if the two become allies…"_

The Old One drew his attention back to Harry as he realized the other boy was talking.

"Don't worry, Will, I'm sure Dumbledore will be able to help you," Harry was saying.

Will looked at his new friend and smiled.  It was nice to have a companion again, after being alone for so long.  Preoccupied with his thoughts, he didn't notice the other boy until it was too late.  Will and Harry helped him to his feet, and the Old One was shocked as he recognized the boy's features.

"For an eleven year old, you sure pack a punch -- must be from playing with dragons all the time," he said with a grin and held out his hand.

"Hi, I'm Will Davies."

TBC

**Walks away slowly before running to avoid the flying tomatoes yelling:  If you want more, I want reviews! YIKES!**

For those of you who haven't read the DIR books (which you should!) Bran Davies was Will's best friend before Will "died" and had white hair and eyes.  He was also the son of King Arthur brought forward through time by Merlin.  


	5. Ch 5 Butterfly Wings

A/N: Well, it's been a little while since I updated but I've had a REALLY bad week.  My co-worker for morning shifts disappeared so I had to do his work and mine because my boss was too cheap to get anyone else.  Plus side, we found out where he is – bad news, somehow he got himself committed to a psychiatric ward.  0.o   So because of that, I'm getting sick.  Yup, that's been my week.

**Ruth** – I love Bran too, and I still haven't decided how much he's going to be involved with the rest of the story.  Since you miss him, I'll try to give him a bigger part.  I re-read the books and as far as I could tell, Bran's unique colouring wasn't a result of his travelling through time – so I decided the colouring would be genetic.  And what is Friday teatime?  Is there really a time when you have tea? (I'm serious, I didn't know this).  As well, I hate you – I REALLY want to go to Wales.  I have relatives there and I'm full-blooded welsh though I'm Canadian.  Sigh, maybe someday.

**L'Ananda** – I'm really glad you're enjoying not only this fic but the prequel as well. (I'm not entirely sure anyone has actually read it).  I hope you enjoy the rest of the story!

**Starr Light1** – To tell you the truth – I actually haven't read that much Harry Potter.  I've only read the first two books and that's why everyone's in the third year :p.  My roommate is in charge of informing me of any major Potter errors.  

**MaraWeaves – **LOL I agree with you, most adults are clueless with regards to children's actions.  I must admit, Munin is one of my favourite characters – mainly because he's my inner sarcastic child let loose.  I'm glad this is one of your favourites, it makes me all warm and tingly inside!

**Obdormio** – I'm having a little trouble with Dumbledore's reaction to Will, so for now I'm keeping their interactions to a minimum – but I got an idea that should bring Dumbledore's feelings about Will into the open.  From what I gathered from re-reading the books, the warestones could be used for spying – and all Will is doing is listening so it shouldn't conflict with what Cooper wrote.  If you re-read the chapter, you'll notice that I did say that the boys left Dumbledore's office, so they were walking when Will bumped into…well, Will.  I hope that answers your questions – they really make me think and get a better understanding of my own story!

I know I've kept you all waiting so here's the next chapter 

Chapter 5 – Butterfly wings

Merriman once told Will that most events were not coincidences.  True, because of the unpredictable nature of the wild magic and the Earth magic, coincidences did sometimes occur; they are more of a rarity than most mortals would think.  

Will had an uneasy feeling that this moment was not once of those occasions.  

Before him stood a near replica of his best friend, down to the unique colouring that made Bran appear as special as he was.

Well, former best friend, I guess.  It's hard to be best friends with someone who thinks your dead.

Quickly, the Old One brought himself back to the present situation and shook the outstretched hand of the boy.  

"Hallo, I'm Will."

"I know," the boy laughed, "I don't believe there's anyone in the castle that doesn't know who you are, English."

Harry and Will laughed at the boy's comments, though the Old One still felt uneasy.  He had managed to spend the last thirty years avoiding his former family and friends, and now he's in the same house as the son of his best friend!  Will rubbed his temples tiredly.  

Harry looked at his friend with worry.  Will had appeared shocked by Davies' appearance – which wasn't all that unusual.  Everyone stared the first time the met the white-haired boy, but with Will it seemed different.  It was if there was something else about Davies that startled the younger boy.  

Realizing that Will was probably tired from the day's events, Harry said, "Will has had a long day, so we're heading to the Common Room."

"Ah, that's where I'm heading, too."

The three boys walked in silence for a while.  Harry realized he didn't know much about Will Davies, other than the fact the boy was a fourth year Gryffindor.

"So, Davies, what are your parents like?"

Davies paused to consider the question, and both boys noticed that Will seemed to perk up at the question.  Harry assumed it was because the younger boy had no parents of his own.

"My Ma and Da are great for muggles, and they were pretty understanding when I got my letter from Hogwarts.  In fact, when I was younger my Da always called me a _dewin, _which is Welsh for a wizard.  The only problem he had was that it was an English school."

Both Will and Davies burst into laughter again.  Harry was confused until Davies explained his father was _very_ Welsh.  Though, that didn't explain to Harry why Will understood the joke right away; it's not as if the younger boy had ever met Davies' father.

**********************************************     

The school year progressed smoothly for the Old One, as he slowly began to adapt his new powers with his old.  The rest of Hogwarts slowly became accustomed to his sudden disappearances – since Will was still responsible for investigating possible Dark incursions.  However, unlike when he had lived with his family, his house mates and teachers were fairly accepting.

Except for Dumbledore.

Familiarity hadn't softened the headmaster's curiosity or suspicions about the strange boy.  Will would return from an investigation to find the professor watching him carefully.  The Old One knew that Dumbledore would be a dangerous enemy, even for an Old One, but it also wasn't the right time for them to be allies.  Not until Will understood the danger Voldemort represented.

Harry had told Will about the Dark Lord and his own experiences.  Unquestionably evil, the Old One knew that he couldn't interfere with Voldemort unless the Dark was involved.  The boy wished he could visit Voldemort directly.

Christmas approached and the students began preparations for their return home.  Understandably, Will and Harry remained unmoved.  For Harry it was because he never had any memories of a happy family Christmas; for Will it was because it was his birthday – and the anniversary of the day he left his family.  

Harry and Will were in the great hall, playing wizard's chess as they bid their friends good-bye.  Will Davies stood behind Harry has he watched the younger boy decimate Harry's pieces.  Even Ron, the resident chess master, couldn't defeat Will.  The boy wizard sighed and knocked over his king, admitting defeat.  He turned around as he noticed Davies' presence.

"Hey, Davies, are you heading home now?"

The boy nodded.  

"Yeah, my da is coming to pick me up at the train station.  We'll make a stop and then head home."

Will raised his eyebrows at that, knowing full well where that stop would be.

"Where are you going before heading home?" an oblivious Harry asked.

"My da's best friend died when they were fourteen, so today's his birthday and the anniversary of his death so we're going to stop at his grave.  Since I'm named after the guy, da always makes me go."

Harry looked sympathetic while Will kept his eyes downcast. 

So he still visits my grave…but naming his son after me is the greatest respect I could ever be paid.

Davies noticed Will's sudden quiet.  They had become good friends in the last few months, but the younger boy always became quiet whenever the Davies talked about his family.  At first, Davies thought it was because Will had no family of his own.  He didn't even have a last name!

But lately Davies had begun to wonder if it wasn't something else.  There were times when Davies would have sworn he saw nostalgia in the other boy's eyes when he talked about his dad or mom or uncles.  But that's impossible – there was no way they could know each other.

His train of thought was disrupted when he heard someone shout, "Everyone look at this!  It's snowing!"

Immediately, the doors were opened and the students piled out into the yard.  It was rare for it to snow before winter, and was only the third time in Will's memory.

Using his Earth magic, Will realized that this snow was not a natural phenomenon.  Though he couldn't detect the power of the Dark, there was another magic at work.  The other students laughed and ran through the snow but the Old One searched for danger.  

A sense of power enveloped the Old One's senses.  With a cry, Will called the student's back to the castle.  They were startled by the sudden shout from their peer.  The teachers looked at the young boy who suddenly launched himself from the doorway into the field.  He placed himself between his classmates and the Forbidden Forest when suddenly animals appeared.

They were smaller than wolves, but were grey unlike foxes.  The Old One recognized them as _milgwyn, _creatures of the Dark that had tried to stop his quest.  They stared at the Old One with malevolence, and eyed the students hungrily.  Students screamed and headed for the castle, all except for Harry and Davies.  They stood slightly behind Will, wondering what was going on.

_Why are you here?  You're masters have been banished and your power is gone, _Will said outloud in the Old Speech.

_We have a new master, and we are no longer alone, unlike you, Watcher. _

They inched forward, but stopped when they heard the cry of Munin.  The phoenix landed on the boy's shoulder, returning their glare.

Voldemort is nothing!  He merely a human playing at being powerful, he has no chance against an Old One.  Right now, he isn't even human but nothing more than a phantom.

The five animals chuckled like hyenas, causing a shiver run down Harry and Davies' spines.  They didn't understand why Will was able to talk to the canines, or how he had known they were coming; they watched as Will's face darkened and he appeared older and wiser.

Perhaps, but because he is no longer entirely human, he can places humans can never go.  Like outside of time where the Dark was thrown?

The Old One froze.  If what they said was true – then Voldemort would have access to knowledge that would give him an advantage over his enemies.  But he still using his own magic – instead of the Dark – so technically Will be bound by the laws of High Magic not to interfere.  

With an epiphany, the Old One realized that was why the Earth sought him out.  As an Old One he could do nothing, but as an agent of the Earth…

The Old One laughed to the astonishment of the onlookers.  The canines quit their laughing and snarled.  The snowfall stopped and Will smiled at the _milgwn_.

Tell your master that I am free from the binds of the High Magic, and I will make a greater enemy than he could ever imagine.

The _milgwn_ disappeared – not leaving a single footprint.

****************************

Will Davies stood looking at the grave of his namesake.  He didn't hate visiting the cemetery exactly, but he always felt awkward.  It was not as if he had ever known the guy personally.  His father and mother stood beside him, along with his uncles.  For some reason, the snow had reminded his family of their old friend.

His father reached down and traced the letters gently.  He then reached into his pocket and drew out a picture.

"It snowed today.  Remember how you always wished for it to snow on your birthday?  Jane and I are doing well, and our son is in his fourth year at Hogwarts.  Well, _dewin_, I was searching through my closet and I found this.  It's a picture of the five of us when we were twelve and we spent our spring vacation in Wales.  I thought you'd like a copy."

He laid the picture gently against the tombstone and headed back towards the car.  Will moved to follow him but glanced down at picture.  What he saw made him stop – shocked.

There, with his arm around his twelve-year old da, was Will – who looked exactly like his new friend.

*****************************

Resting in Sanctuary, Will pondered his duty as an Old One.  But Will was no longer just an Old One, but the Earthan as well and he knew the true power of Earth magic.

When describing the types of magic in the world, Earth magic was often overlooked; most often, because it was considered to be ineffective.  But that was because no one understood how it worked.  

Before returning to the Sanctuary, the Old One had remained at Stonehenge to receive his power from the Earth.  The Earth had also passed along knowledge of its will and memory.  Even for an Old One, the knowledge was almost too much.  

_Like the wings of a butterfly causing a hurricane across the world_.

The analogy was more apt than Will had known.  Earth magic was powerful because so little was used to accomplish its objective; the Earth was a master of the use of cause and effect.  A single gust of wind carried an Old One's scent to a dragon near by; the dragon then travels to meet the Old One, causing the Old One to seek Sanctuary; to search for answer and ultimately become an Earthan, the objective of the Earth.  

All because of a single gust of wind. 

The Old One recognized the precarious nature of his current existence, and though he was determined to succeed – he felt pensive. 

And in the end, I still won't see the butterfly on the other side of the world – flapping its wings.

TBC 

   

There, I hope everyone is happy!  The next update should be quicker – as long as I don't get any sicker.  Stupid Canadian weather.


	6. Ch 6 Reflections

A/N:  I'm BAACCCKKK!  Thank Ruth for the quick update – since I want those pictures of Wales.  

**Ruth** – Don't know for sure how much of the third book I'll follow.  I don't want to get tied up with having to take into account everything that happens – then it wouldn't really be my story anymore.  But do expect Sirius to show up soon.  I just need to solidify Will's character before I go heavy into plot development.  AND I WANT THOSE PICTURES ::please?:: if you can send them to a.dash@sasktel.net if you can.  If I can't go there anytime soon, I can at least live precariously through others.

**Obdormio **– Wasn't sure where Hogwarts was, so I took a guess and said England ::shrugs::  I also realize I was stretching it with the snow thing, I just really wanted to do that sequence.  I wanted to have that feeling of continuity between the original story, my prequal, and this story.  As for Will talking out loud to the milgwyn, I reread the section and from what I gathered (not 100%) the Old Ones could only use the mind speech with other Old Ones.  Also, I wanted Will and Harry hear the Old Speech – I'm going to use it later ::wink::  As ever, thanks for the complaining, it keeps me on my toes.

**MaraWeaves **– I'm glad you're enjoying the mix.  I must say I was hesitant to start this xover – because its hard to keep character IC when you have xovers.  I hope you decided to post something someday, I definitely would want to read it!

**Starr Light1 –** Yeah, I wasn't going to have Will Davies figure it out so quickly, but then I thought that there was no way his father wouldn't talk about his son's namesake – and what's the odds he had never seen a picture?  

**Astyana** – a new reviewer! Yah!  Who enjoys the story! Double yah!  Not that I don't appreciate my loyal reviewers.  I LOVE YOU ALL!  

Help feed the writer's ego and review!

And so by popular request – DUMBLEDORE

Chapter 6 – Reflections

Albus Dumbledore sat in front of the fire thinking.  He had been doing so for so long the Sorting Hat became curious of what could engross the aging professor for so long.

"Albus, what has you so preoccupied?" the Sorting Hat asked.

"I was thinking about one of our newest arrivals, Will," Dumbledore replied.  He turned towards the Sorting Hat, who recognized the look on the wizard's face.

"You know the rules, Dumbledore.  I am honour bound not to reveal my conversations with the students."

The headmaster returned to staring at the fire.  The Sorting Hat shifted uncomfortably as the room filled with silence.  Dumbledore was the only person who ever talked to the hat, outside of his sorting duties.  The hat wasn't looking forward to receiving the silent treatment from the wizard – who was manipulative enough to attempt it.

"Fine, I'll tell you what I can," groaned the hat, not missing the telltale twinkle in the wizard's eye.

"Why did you take so long to decide on the boy's house?"

"The boy had a very strong personality – one that could have fit into any of the houses."

"Why did you eventually choose Gryffindor?"

The Sorting Hat paused in thought, debating how much he could reveal.  

"Peace.  There is a great deal of power in that boy – as I'm sure you've already discovered.  But there was no thirst for power, or ambition.  I just felt peace – as if the boy already knew who he was and what he meant to do."

The hat grew silent in remembrance and the headmaster quieted thinking of his own experiences with the boy.

When Will's name had appeared on the Hogwarts list, it had been the first time a name had been added years after the child's birth.  Even with Dumbledore's vast reach, he had been unable to determine anything of the boy's past.  In fact, it had taken them weeks to discover the boy's location since the Owl kept returning with the unsent letter.  

Minerva had been dismayed when they had discovered the boy living on the streets.  Though, the boy apparently had adapted well since he showed no signs of malnutrition.    

When Dumbledore had gone to Ollivander's to meet the boy, he had been expecting a boy much like Harry, given their similar situations.  The image of the calm boy, with a black phoenix resting comfortably upon his shoulder, was not what he had expected.

In fact, everything the boy did was unexpected.  Dumbledore was not surprised often, but it seemed Will did nothing but surprise the old wizard.  First the appearance of Merlin; calming a dragon with a song; and Will's story about the origin of his powers – from Merlin no less!  

Dumbledore had been pondering Will's tale for some time.  It was entirely possible; examination of the pendant hadn't revealed much.  But it did display qualities of being a conduit for magical energies.  If the power Will received was from Merlin, then it was entirely logical that he would possess one of the few wands made by Merlin himself.

But…

There was a flaw I the boy's tale; when Dumbledore had first talked with the boy, Will mentioned that Merriman had taught him; which wasn't a lie since Merriman was another name Merlin went by.  But the boy had also said that Merriman had spent a year teaching him – and when he had explained the story about receiving his powers Will said he met Merriman only the once.  

Which means, he lied at least once.  But which time?  If it was the second time then Will is continuing to lie not only to the headmaster but also to everyone at Hogwarts.  If it was the first time…that means Will has the ability to overcome the _Veritus _serum; something no one should be able to do.

"Hat, what did you think of Will's character?"

"The boy is considerate of the safety of others – and before you ask I won't tell you why I say that.  However, I also sensed the ability and willingness to do what is necessary to complete a task.  A valuable ally or a formidable enemy."

"Which do you think the boy will be?"

"I do not know if the boy will be an ally, but I do not think he could ever be an enemy," the Sorting Hat responded immediately and emphatically.  

Just then Fawkes flew into the room.  It had been a while since Dumbledore had seen the phoenix – the bird always seemed to be with Will's dark phoenix.  The red bird had taken a liking to Will and his black phoenix, and Dumbledore knew phoenixes were excellent judges of character.

"Hello, my old friend.  Have you been out with Will and his phoenix again?"

The phoenix caressed the old wizard's cheek with his own and chirped in agreement.

"I don't suppose you could show me where Will disappears to, Fawkes?"

The phoenix regarded the headmaster seriously, slowly shaking his head.  The professor was a good friend of his, but Fawkes couldn't betray the confidence of the Watchman, the last of the Old Ones.  Phoenixes and the Old Ones have been allies since before the Wizarding World came to be.  

Dumbledore was disappointed but not surprised.  The hat turned to regard the wizard.

"The boy has secrets, but do you really think he is a threat to Hogwarts?"

"A few days before the beginning of the Winter break I felt a great evil come onto the Hogwarts' grounds.  When I went outside, the situation had been resolved.  Apparently, Will had convinced the creatures to leave using a foreign language.  When I asked Harry and Will Davies what it sounded like, they couldn't remember.  The boy could be telling the truth and he had threatened the creatures into leaving, or…"

Dumbledore sighed.

"In such perilous times as these, I can't afford to trust the wrong person.  Will has too many secrets for me to discount him as a threat – even though I sense no evil from the boy."

The three sat in companionable silence, each pondering the enigma that was Will.

A small knock echoed through the office.

"Professor?  Could I speak with you?" a male voice called out.

The door opened and Will Davies walked into the room.  Dumbledore gestured for him to take a seat by the fire.  The nervous boy sat down and gazed into the fire.

"What can I do for you, Will Davies?  You are home from vacation early, I hope you your family is alright?"

Davies shook his head.

"No, my family is good.  I came back early because I wanted to talk to you, headmaster."

The boy took a deep breath.

"It's about Will – I think I know who he really is.  And if I'm right – I don't think he's human."

TBC

HAHAHAH I AM EVIL!  Sorry for the short chapter, but the next is coming out soon and for all you Harry fans he'll be back.  Of course, I might forget to update if you don't review (not that it's a threat ::wink::) 


	7. Ch 7 Interludes

A/N: Sorry it's been a little while since my last update – my roommate unfortunately likes my others stories better and I fear him, so…

**Bluie Twilight Star – **Wow, I'm really glad that you're enjoying this fic.  One of the reasons it took me so long to post anything was that I didn't want to do the same thing that someone else had done.  

**Lembas7** – Aahhhh, you're going to make me blush.  I tried to find Harry Potter and the Legacy of the Light by Garamyre, but once I do I'm definitely going to read it.  It's so hard to find DiRS/HP xovers, so thanks for the info!  Yeah, I write it…leave it for five minutes…then proofread it.  So I miss a couple of grammar/spelling errors.  But I figure everyone would rather have the update sooner rather than later.  As for the cliffhanger….BWHAHAHAHA tremble before me mere mortals!  

**Ruth** – I've got powerpoint but don't worry about making a presentation, unless you feel a pressing need to – send it to a.dash@sasktel.net -- that email account has the largest space.  This chapter should answer the rest of your questions…geez, I wonder how Will's going to handle Will, Dumbledore…and Bran?  Mmmm…I wonder if I should give a 'cliffhanger' warning to all my stories…

**MaraWeaves** – See…if I don't leave cliffhangers you might just stop reading and I would miss everyone's reviews ::sobs::

**L'Ananada – **I know the meeting with Dumbledore could go a number of different ways, that's one of reasons it's taken me a while to update!  I had creative overload – too many ideas!  I think I came up with four or five different ways of doing this chapter.

**Starr Light1 – **oh oh I know ::hehe:: there are a lot of fun things I can do!  Unfortunately, I can't do all of them!  I hope you enjoy the next chapter.

**MegCat06** – Well, I'm glad you found this fic – I've waded through the HP fanfiction section and my god is it huge!  

**Astyana – **a confrontation between Bran and Will, eh?  I might be able to arrange that …. ::conspirative wink::

**Obdormio -- ** I'm touched for your concern for my welfare – that updating binge I went on was taxing.  But YES! I made it through I chapter without you finding plot holes!  And I'm just going to ignore the short part.

Without further ado, I give you…Chapter 7!

Chapter 7 – Interludes

"It's about Will – I think I know who he really is.  And if I'm right – I don't think he's human"

There are moments in time when the course of history changes, evolves, and a new way is paved.  What once was, is no more – old dynasties give way to new and the past remains the past.  For an Old One, these moments come a multitude of times in their lifetime – and rarely do they affect them.  As a creature that lives outside of time and history, at any moment he may live within history but he isn't a part of it.

But not even an Old One leaves any footprints.

In Will Davies' hand he held such a footprint – a photograph, marked by time, of four children on their spring vacation.  And in his mind he held the legends of the Old Ones, as passed down from his father.

Davies handed the photograph to Dumbledore, whose eyes widened at he recognized two of the boys in the picture.  Recognizing Dumbledore understood, Davies began his story.

"I was named for my father's best friend from when he was younger.  Apparently, Will introduced my parents to each other," Davies said with a chuckle.  "He drowned when they were fourteen – his body never found.  I'd seen pictures of him before, but it wasn't until I saw this one did I recognize him.  I know I look a lot like my dad, but Will looks _exactly_ like Will Stanton," he turned to Dumbledore, half hoping the professor would chuckle and find a reasonable explanation why Will couldn't possibly be thirty years old.  Instead, Dumbledore frowned and looked at Davies' seriously.

"A moment ago you said you thought Will wasn't human, what did you mean?"

Davies' eyes widened and he looked away.

"I only meant that someone who hasn't aged in thirty years can't possibly be human," Davies said quickly, a little too quickly.  The headmaster continued to stare at the boy.  Davies sighed.

"When I was a boy, my father would always tell me our folktales.  I know that everyone says that folktales are only tales muggles made-up, but…I've always thought there must be some truth to them.  I mean, there are tales about Merlin, and he really existed!" Davies looked at Dumbledore helplessly, confused by his own ramblings. The professor reached out a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder, and smiled gently.

"There are legends in Wales of a race known as the Old Ones.  It's said Merlin was one of them, but he's the only one anyone knew the name of.  They were said to be powerful magician's the lived forever, and guarded the world against the powers of evil.  I don't know why I made the connection, but when I saw Will's picture the Old Ones were the first thing I thought.  It's as if I instinctively knew."

Sitting back in thought, Dumbledore thought about Davies' theory.  Unlike many wizards, Dumbledore didn't dismiss the folktales as muggle fantasy.  Though he had never heard the tale of the Old Ones, he didn't dismiss it out of hand.  In previous years, Davies had displayed an affinity for recognizing unusual forms of magic; particularly the kind surrounding ancient relics.  If the boy instinctively felt something, it wasn't the imagination of a fourteen years old boy.

Dumbledore told Davies to go to the Gryffindor Common Room and get some rest.  The boy turned to leave but stopped.

"Professor…if he really is Will Stanton, would I be able to tell my Da?" Davies asked nervously.

"Perhaps in time," Dumbledore said vaguely.  Davies' nodded and left.

Again, Dumbledore sat in front of the fire thinking.  This time the Sorting Hat didn't interrupt the thinking wizard.

Neither noticed the absence of Fawkes.

*************************************      

For Harry, it had been the best Christmas ever.  The entire time he had spent playing with Will; the younger boy becoming like a brother to the wizard.  Though at times Harry couldn't be sure if Will was the younger or the older brother.  The two boys had managed to get into a great deal of mischief, as well as concoct several schemes for when the Weasley Twins returned – in retribution for all the pranks played on them in the last few months.  

But whenever Harry felt lonely, or depressed, Will was always there to give the wizard advice and encouragement.  Harry guessed it was because Will grew up on the streets -- experience making up for his lack of years.  The younger boy had filled a place in Harry's heart that he had reserved for the family he had lost.

So at this moment the two boys were enjoying a quiet afternoon, in front a fireplace.  A common enough event, but one that left both boys feeling warm and whole for the first time in a very long while; both finding family in the other.

Will stretched out in front of the fire, slowly caressing Munin.  The greatest gift he had received as an Old One was to wade through time as a child – it was also his greatest curse.  An old man trapped in a boy's body – or a boy who can never truly grow up.  The Old One often wondered which he would be; all the knowledge of Grayamere didn't make him 'old', nor did a youthful body make him young.  By a conscious decision on his part, Will chose to enjoy his perpetual youth – but the universe doesn't care what anyone decides, not even an Old One.  

And there are many things that can make you old.

A great flapping was heard, and Fawkes came storming into the Common Room.  Unbeknown to the two boys, it was an attempt to precede the following Will Davies.  Will looked at the phoenix, puzzled by the bird's frantic behaviour.  

_Old One, you're identity has been discovered! _Fawkes cried.

_How? _Will responded, shocked; a sentiment echoed by Munin.

Will Davies recognized a picture of you from when you were truly young, and has shown it to Dumbledore.

Even then, there is no way for Dumbledore to know of the Old Ones, or make the connection to me.

The blood of the Pendragon flows through Will Davies; he made the connection himself.

Harry watched Will's face grow confused, then darkened.  The look froze the boy wizard's blood; dimly recognizing the cold determination as the same one Tom Riddle once showed him. 

_I must stop this at all costs.  The Wizarding World cannot know of the Old Ones!_

_Why is it so important?  All the Old Ones have left, besides you, and Voldemort has access to the Dark's magic.  Wouldn't it make sense to allow the wizard's access to similar magic?  To balance things? _Munin questioned.

You don't understand!  Voldemort is using the power of the Dark, but my power as the Agent of the Earth is a balance to his.  If the wizard's find out about the Old Ones, the Light will be in breach of High Law.  As punishment, I would be sent away from Earth – leaving it defenceless against Voldemort and the Dark.

_I will need to speak with Merriman about these matters, _Will suddenly stood up and walked out of the Common Room.  Harry hurried behind him, repeatedly asking Will what was wrong.  The Old One refused to respond.  Making a sharp turn, Harry lost sight of the younger boy and when he turned the corner as well…Will was gone.

The Old One entered the Sanctuary and walked to a silver door.  The door was sealed shut, with no door hand and no apparent way to open it.  It was the doorway to Avalon.  

Munin…Fawkes, you can't go with me beyond this doorway.

The two phoenixes gracefully left the Old One's shoulders and settled down on a nearby chair.

_What happened before, if a wizard found out about an Old One? _Fawkes asked.

The door opened and a brilliant light shown through obscuring the Old One's face.  He started to walk through the door and Fawkes thought the Old One would not answer.  But as his figured faded into the brilliance, his disembodied voice answered.

"We killed them."

************************

There are moments in time when the course of history changes, evolves, and a new way is paved.  What once was, is no more – old dynasties give way to new and the past remains the past.  For an Old One, these moments come a multitude of times in their lifetime – and rarely do they affect them.  As a creature that lives outside of time and history, at any moment he may live within history but he isn't a part of it.

But they are remembered – not as Old Ones but as family and friends.

At that moment, a small boy looks for his 'brother'; at that moment, the heir to the Pendragon thinks of his namesake; at that moment, family and friends he hasn't seen in years remembers the way he looked and smiled.

And at that moment, Voldemort used the powers of the Dark to ensnare the body of a dragon – now capable of using the full force of the Dark's power.

TBC 

A/N:  Gee, can you feel the foreshadowing?


	8. Ch 8 Time and Wounds

A/N:  Well, I'm back again – and you are all in for a special treat.  Due to a very very very long week, I can no longer move – so I give you the longest chapter I have EVER written in ANY story.  This will also be the only chapter I include elements from the book (which I browsed through in fifteen minutes), mainly because it's a pain to keep double-checking to make sure I'm not destroying the cannon.  The timeline will be completely off since I delayed everything and moved others up.

Thanks again to all my reviewers, you all hold a special place in my heart

Disclaimer:  Many parts of this chapter are an abridged or slightly altered recreations of the events occurring in The Prisoner of Azkaban by Rowling, and are not my own creations; I have merely used them for continuity and are not meant to be a presented as my own ideas.

Chapter 8 – Time and Wounds

There are few greater dreams of humanity than that of Avalon – where King Arthur sleeps awaiting the time of his return.  True, Arthur is at rest but never again shall he return – his legacy passed on.  And though humans may never see the fair shores of Avalon, it does not dim the brilliance of the dream and Avalon was bright indeed.  

Will stood upon the edges of Avalon and looked upon it with longing.  As the Watchman, it would be millennia – if ever – before he goes to his final rest.  But he did not begrudge his brethren nor mentor their peace.  They had spent centuries upon centuries earning their rest and the Youngest of the Old could only hope that one day he too would have earned this peace.

But now was not that moment, and he waited patiently for the two he knew would come.  Sure enough, two figures appeared through the mist – Merriman and the Lady.  Neither appeared surprised by the Old One's arrival, as they shouldn't; those in Avalon watched the events on Earth with interest and hope and sadness.  Both of the Greatest of the Light new why their youngest had come to them.

"Greetings, Old One," Merriman said with a slight bow.  Will returned it with a greeting of his own to Merriman, as well as the Lady.

"You are aware of why I am here," Will stated rather than asked.

"Yes, young Will."

"The laws of the High Magic cannot be changed – not with time, not with circumstance.  That is why you encouraged me to accept the role as the Earthan, so that I may fight Voldemort without violating the laws.  But that also means I must abide by the Law of Silence; if a wizard should discover the true nature of an Old One any and all means are to be used to erase that discovery. Dumbledore is too powerful to erase his memory cleanly, which leaves only one other option.  I don't believe the Earth's best interests would be served by his death," Will said, looking at his elders hopefully – though knowing it was his duty, Will did not want anything to happen to the headmaster.  

They exchanged a glance.  

"You're words hold truth, Will Stanton, but the Law of Silence cannot be broken, even now," the Lady said gently.  Will's face fell.

"Is there no way then?"

"No, there is a way…but it will be a dangerous gamble.  Though Bran Davies waived his birthright, his son has not.  Will Davies can be brought into his power as the Pendragon, and thus it is his prerogative as a Lord of High Magic to confide in his advisors – who are exempt from the Law.  However, this will mean invoking High Magic, as well as Wild Magic – both of which have their own agendas outside that of the Light."

Thinking hard, Will looked into the mists of time.  Chanting a spell of enlightenment, the Old One watched as images began to appear in the mist.

Will didn't recognize the room but he did recognize the woman and the man; it was Professor Trelawney, the divination teacher, and Dumbledore.  The Old One had the misfortune of having her, and so did Harry; though the boy was finally getting over the trauma of having his death predicted.  Even though the professor was obviously a terrible seer, it had taken Will some time to calm the boy down.  

But, Will, what if she's right?  I don't want to die… 

Everyone dies eventually; it is how one spends their time alive that truly matters.  To predict someone's death is to never be wrong, but I would like to see her try to predict how you live.  Only then will I give credence to her 'abilities'.

True, the Old One had lied – not everyone dies.  But what disturbed the Old One was the power he felt within Trelawney, hidden deeply but there.  He watched as the professor gave her very first true prophecy.

The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have the power the Dark Lord knows not…and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…

Just as Will bore a mark as the result of evil, so did Harry.  But where Will had been given the knowledge needed to fight, the boy wizard was in the dark concerning his destiny.  Dumbledore was both protecting and using the boy – something that reminded Will of the Light.  

The mists continued to shift, and Will watched as a rat turn into a man.  The man knelt before another, whose evil emanations could only make him Voldemort; in a hush he whispered words that tasted of betrayal.  The images changed again, and the rat-man stood beside a new man – a dog replacing the man momentarily -- as well as a couple.  They were discussing hiding places when another abrupt shift occurred; this time the couple were dead and Voldemort was pointing his wand at a baby.  

A betrayal…but what happened to the dog-man? 

The mists didn't answer the Old One's unspoken question.  But the two who watched did.

"His name is Sirius Black, and he is a prisoner in Azkaban – the wizard's worst punishment.  They use soulless creatures known as Dementors to keep their prisoners hopeless and without magic as they literally suck the magic and happiness out of them.  He was arrested for the betrayal of the Potter's and a supporter of Voldemort," Merriman informed his former student with great distaste.  The Wizarding World's use and creation of Dementors was one of the reason's the Law of Silence was strictly enforced.  

From the look in his student's eyes, Merriman could tell Will had made a decision.

"You have come to a decision, Will?"

"Yes, I have."

***************************************  

Sirius Black stared at the wall he had long since memorized.  The small cell held little light, the sensory deprivation forcing the prisoners to embrace their misery.  Without their magic, and with Dementors standing guard, there was no hope for an escape.  

While the other prisoners fell into the abyss of their own minds, Black remained sane.  He knew he was innocent, and that thought brought nothing but agony and was left untouched by the Dementors.  It was his fault that Peter Pettigrew was chosen to know the Potter's hiding place, his fault that his best friend's died.  Now, while he wallowed in prison with his barely kept sanity, somewhere the 'dead' rat was waiting for his master to return.  

A light filled the doorway and Black's pupils dilated – unused to the amount of light.  A figure stood in the doorway, and he could barely make out the features of a boy.

"Harry?" Black asked in a tremulous voice.  

"No…but you'll see him soon," a gentle voice carried across the small distance.  The boy knelt before the dazed figure, happy to see the man was still sane – and even more surprising was the thread of magic running through him.  Reaching down, the Old One picked the man up.  It was a ridiculous sight; a boy of eleven carrying a grown man but no one laughed as they walked through the halls.  

No Dementors blocked their path, staying clear from the boy.  Even for beings without sight, the brilliance from the light of an Old One was blinding.  And so they stood silent as they watched the two pass.  

***************************************

"Ron, have you seen Will around anywhere?" Harry Potter asked, sitting at the Gryffindor table.  His two best friends shook their heads, and Harry wondered where the younger boy had gotten.  Ever since Fawkes had come flying into Common Room yesterday, Harry hadn't been able to find Will.  The other boy often disappeared for hours but this was the longest yet.

"Sorry, Harry, but listen to this!  It says here in the Daily Prophet that the murderer Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban.  Harry, this is the man that betrayed your parents to You-know-who!  He's probably going to come back and finish…OW!" Ron exclaimed, rubbing his swore arm and glaring at Hermione.    

"Don't worry, Dumbledore wouldn't let anything happen to you while you're here at Hogwarts," Hermione reassured Harry, glaring at Ron who shrugged helplessly – still rubbing his arm.  Harry knew that they both meant well, but if his last two years at Hogwarts were any indication…

This was the longest he had gone without having his life in danger!

The doors to the Great Hall swung open and Minister Cornelius Fudge strolled in, followed by another man and several hooded figures.  Harry stared hard at the man walking beside Fudge; the man looked very familiar, even though he knew he had never met him before.  With a sudden realization, the boy wizard realized that the man was the spitting image of his friend Will Davies!

"To what do we owe the pleasure of your company, Cornelius?" a pleasant voice sounded through out the suddenly quiet hall.  Appearing from nowhere, as he was apt to do, Dumbledore walked towards the Minister.

"That is something I wish to discuss in private, Headmaster," Fudge replied pompously – secretly enjoying the power and mystery surrounding his task.  Unnoticed by Fudge, the man beside him smirked softly at his companion's theatrics.  Dumbledore raised an eyebrow thoughtfully and turned to Harry.

"Shouldn't Mr. Potter also attend this discussion, since he is affected by the matter at hand?" Dumbledore asked mildly; Harry started at the news that whatever was going on involved him.  Fudge paled and looked to Potter, for the first time noticing his presence.

"Ah, Mr. Potter…" Fudge said nervously, and stepped forward to shake the boy's hand.  The movement forward caused his 'guards' to move as well -- Harry to turn his attention to them for the first time.  When they had entered the hall, Harry had felt the temperature of the room drop – assuming it was from cold air entering from outside.  But as he looked at the hooded figures, he realized that was not the case…

The cold swept through Harry and his last thought before he blacked out was to wonder who was screaming…

*******************************

Dumbledore sat in his office, along with Cornelius Fudge and his companion.  The headmaster looked at the man curiously; with Harry's fainting spell and assuring his safe arrival to Poppy, he hadn't been introduced.  While he had been 'informed' of the arrival of the Dementors, though he wasn't happy about their presence, Dumbledore did not know the purpose of this man's presence.

Recognizing the curious look, Fudge turned to his companion.

"As you know, I had to inform the Prime Minister of Sirius Black's escape – as well as the establishment of the hotline, he also offered the help of the Specialized Crime Squad…"  

"Specialized Crime Squad…the muggle agency that handles situations concerning the Wizarding World before the proper authorities can be dispatched?"

"Exactly, this is Bran Davies, one of the top detectives of this unit and he will be operating here as an mediator between the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Magic."

"Bran Davies…any relation to Will Davies, a student that attends classes here?" Dumbledore asked thoughtfully, recognizing something unusual about the man before him…besides his colouring.

"Yes, he's my son.  He's spoken of you in glowing terms, Headmaster," Bran said, smiling softly at the mention of his son.  His face turned serious as he considered the situation.

"Right now, we have no idea as to how Sirius Black managed to make his escape and at this moment there hasn't been any sightings.  Our best bet is that he'll come to Hogwarts in an attempt to reach Harry Potter…though I am loathed to use a thirteen years old boy as bait."  Bran glanced sideways at Fudge, a point that was obviously a sour one between the two of them.     

"Very well, but you know my feelings on this matter," Dumbledore said.  Fudge glared at the old wizard.

"It doesn't matter what your feelings are, the Ministry has voted and this is what we have decided.  Good day, gentleman," and with that theatrical statement, Fudge left.  The two remaining men smiled wryly at each other, amused by the third's exit.  

"Well, I should go as well and see if there have been any updates in the case," Bran said, rising to leave.  He stopped when the old wizard gestured for him to remain sitting.

"There is another matter that I feel we need to discuss."

******************************************

It hadn't taken long for news of Harry's fainting spell to go through the school, and Malfoy took particular joy in reminding the Boy-who-lived that he fainted at the mere sight of a Dementor.  

As the boy sat down for in the Defence Against the Dark Arts class, he shuddered in remembrance of the absence of happiness he had felt when the Dementor had looked at him.  It was even harder to forget with the Slytherins mocking him constantly, or everyone else asking if he was all right.  In fact, the only person who didn't know was Will.

Harry looked over at the chair Will usually sat in, still empty after three days.  The professors had searched the entire school, as well as the Forbidden Forest and Hogsmeade.  But they had found no trace.  

Not that he had expected they would, Will was a master at disappearing.  But what disturbed Harry the most was the lack of worry from the other students; Ron and Hermione rarely noticed the younger boy's absences and Davies had been acting strange lately whenever Will's name was mentioned.  It was as if Will had never existed!  Even the teacher's weren't particularly worried, except for Dumbledore.

Professor Lupin entered the room and the class quieted.  The professor had quickly become Harry's favourite; his classes were always interesting and fun, as well as informative.  

"Since we'll be having Dementors roaming the campus, I figured it was time I showed you a spell to defeat your greatest fears," Lupin said, and his head turned towards the door – as if having heard something.  The class looked curiously, wondering what had drawn their teacher's attention.  Within moments, the door opened to reveal Will.

"Sorry for being late, professor," Will said amicably, as if he hadn't been missing for the last three days.  Lupin grinned wolfishly, and gestured for the boy to take his seat.  Harry felt a huge grin sweep over his face at the return of his friend.  The younger boy gave him a wink as he sat down.  

"As I was about to say before Will's miraculous arrival – follow me please."  The professor left the room quickly and the students rushed out of their desks to follow.  They quickly came to the staff room door, and entered.  Inside was Professor Snape, who sneered at the newcomers.

"So I see you've decided to follow through with your foolish idea – make sure to have Neville as far from it as possible or you're all likely to be killed."  Snape stormed out the room, pausing only slightly at the appearance of Will.  Will smiled at the man warmly, who stared for a moment before shutting the door behind him.

Neville's ears burned bright red, and Lupin gestured for him to come forward.  He led him to the back of the room to the storage closest, which began to make a banging noise.

"Now behind this door is a Bogart, can anyone tell me what that is?  Hermione?"

"A type of shape-shifter."

"Exactly, five points for Gryffindor.  A bogart changes into the form of a person's worst fear.  There are two defences against a bogart; one is to be in a group when you meet one.  Why is that?  Harry?"

"Because then it won't know which shape to take?"

"Right.  The second is to laugh; laughter is the bogart's greatest weakness.  The charm _riddikulus _forces the bogart to shift into a shape that you find amusing; a simple spell that requires force of mind.  Now I want each of you to think about what you fear the most and what you could do to it to make it amusing."

Harry shut his eyes and thought about Voldemort.  But his mind took hold of the image and changed it to that of the Dementor – again, the ice-cold feeling swept through his body.  Harry opened his eyes to see Will with a speculative look on his face.  He was staring at the door curiously, as if wondering what it was that appear before him.

Lupin called for everyone to stand back, except Neville, and opened the door.

The bogart turned its gaze to Neville and promptly turned into Professor Snape; in a stuttering voice Neville shouted '_riddikulus_' and the bogart-Snape was suddenly dressed in woman's clothes to the amusement of the class.  One by one the students were called forth.  Finally it was Will's turn.

Without fear, Will walked towards the bogart.  The creature, confused, stared at the little boy.  Its shape began to change slowly, unlike the rapid transformations before it.  Even Lupin watched in amazement as the bogart slowly tried to recreate the boy's worst fear.  Will, for his part, stood calmly before the changing creature.  

The bogart began to become blacker and blacker; an abyss where no light existed.  It developed no specific shape, becoming an amoebic like creature.  Looking at it, Will faced his greatest fear.

That one day he would lose the ability to care, to lose hope – to grow tired of his existence.  

It was a fear every Old One had to face as the centuries passed and all their loved ones died.  The abyss grew and distantly Will could hear Lupin yelling for him to use the charm.  But that charm wouldn't work against this fear…

Will walked resolutely up to the creature and stared into the abyss.  He saw himself reflected there and did not flinch.  Slowly, a light appeared at the centre of the abyss and grew stronger.  The light shown so brightly that the students had to cover their eyes – but Will stared, refusing to blink.  In an explosion of light, the bogart disappeared into a pile of dust.  

Everyone stared in shock at Will, who was breathing hard – looking down at the remains of the bogart.  No matter what happens in the future, Will was and forever would be a creature of the Light.  

It was what he was.

For better, or for worse.

TBC

A/N: Finally, done!  There's probably tons of errors but I'm finally through it – and I only got half of the stuff in there that I wanted to!  The rest will be in the next chapter to review for more ::wink::         


	9. Ch 9 Sacrifices

A/N: Sorry for the long wait – I am currently in the midst of moving, so I'm packing and working extra hours to afford the move L So I'm afraid another update won't happen for another two weeks – but after that I should go back to updating every couple days since I'll have moved and everything should be back to normal.  (unless my bosses go through with their plan to try and kill me…)

I'm going to be making references to the prequel, Mortal Destiny in Dark is Rising Section.  You don't need to have read it to understand, but I still recommend that everyone reads it :P

Chapter 9 – Sacrifices

Harry found Will staring intently into the fire, stroking Munin.  Hesitantly, he wondered if the younger boy would want company after his experience with the Boggart.  Harry shuddered as he remembered the black abyss that was Will's greatest fear.  Watching it, Harry had felt empty, numb  -- just like when he was around Dementors.  It had made the boy wizard realize that he knew nothing about his friend's past – what had happened to Will to make him have such a fear?

Harry sat down carefully, eyeing the younger boy.

"Will, are you okay?"

"Yes," Will said mildly, continuing his inspection of the flames.  Harry tried another approach.

"Where have you been for the last few days?"

Will suddenly grinned and grabbed Harry by the hand.  The two went running down the hallways.  As they left the castle, Will saw Davies walking by.  On impulse, or instinct, he grabbed the other boy's hand as well.

Davies was bewildered as he suddenly found himself being dragged away.  This was the first time Davies had seen Will since he found the picture of Will and his dad – and his talk with Dumbledore. 

Abruptly, Will stopped at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.  Pressing two fingers to his lips, the boy gave a sharp whistle.  There was a moment of silence and then a rustling could be heard.  Far away at first but steadily coming closer.  A large black dog came bounding out of the forest.

"His name is Snuffles," Will said proudly.  The two boys were shocked, and the dog took advantage and jumped up on Harry, licking his face furiously.  The other boys were too immersed in the dog to notice the smirk on Will's face.   

"Where did you find him?" Davies asked, petting the dog. 

"I found him hurt, so I've spent the last few days taking care of him," Will said, which was the truth – more or less. 

Grateful to Will as he was (though Sirius maintained he could have gotten out of Azkaban on his own) Will had barely been able to convince Sirius to rest and recover.  His desire to see and protect his godson almost overwhelming any other thoughts in the wizard's head.  Sirius was still suspicious of Will – having been betrayed by a 'friend' before – who had told him nothing as to how or why he had rescued Sirius from prison.  All he would say was that he was Harry's friend.

The black dog licked his godson's face once more, grinning in his dog manner.  Suddenly he stopped and sniffed the air.  Will had also stiffened, looking around sharply.

A huge beast appeared in front of Will, who made sure to place himself between it and the boys.  The thing stood seven-feet tall, and looked like a bear with a wolves snout.  Its fur was black as night and two bright red eyes glowed with hatred.  The Old One recognized it was a Beawolf – one of the many creatures left behind by the Dark.

But Will sensed something else as well.

"So we finally meet, Will Stanton.  My allies have me so much about you."

"Voldemort," Harry whispered in horror, grasping at the scar on his forehead. 

Will eyed the beast wearily.  Normally, a Beawolf was not that dangerous to an Old One, unless caught unawares.  But the beast was channelling not only the power of the Dark, though only a portion, but also that of Voldemort.  Snuffles bark drew the Old One's attention back to Davies and Harry.  So caught up with Voldemort, he had failed to sense the arrival of five Dementors.

Harry was crying and covering his ears – as if trying to drown out voices only he could hear.  Davies wasn't fairing much better.  Sirius snarled at the Dementors – safe from them in his dog form – but could do nothing else. 

Watching their movements, the Old One realized that they were being controlled.  As if reading his thoughts, Voldemort laughed.

"All soulless creatures are under the influence of the Dark, Old One.  Now whom shall you choose to save?  Yourself or them?"

And with that he attacked.

The Old One blocked the series of attacks but he could feel the life draining from the boys.  With a shriek Munin came diving at the beast, but not even a Death Phoenix could injure a creature of the dark – they were already tied to death.  Without looking at the bird, Will called out, "Get Fawkes and Dumbledore!"

_I cannot leave you alone!  _

At that moment, Snuffles was flung away from Harry and the Dementor moved in on Harry, bringing his hooded face towards the boy.  Realizing Voldemort was planning to steal Harry's soul, Will turned his back to the beast.

Not as effected as Harry, especially since he wasn't the Dementor's target, Davies heard Munin desperate cry and turned to see Will facing him.  Davies shouted out a warning as the beast moved to strike with his claws – a warning Will ignored.  In horror, Munin realized what Will intended to do.

You cannot!  The High Magic will demand a sacrifice for calling it forth – you have no idea what you will have to sacrifice!

_Go!  _

The Old One began to chant in a foreign language and Davies felt himself grow warm.  The claws pierced Will's back but he did not cry out, did not wince, did not pause – completing the chant. 

Davies felt power run through him – confidence and knowledge.  He looked at eh Dementors and suddenly a bright light shaped like a dragon surround the newly crowned Pendragon.  It regarded the soulless creatures for a moment – and attacked.  Within seconds they vanished, leaving not even a trace of dust behind.  Beside him, Harry was breathing but barely conscious.  Davies turned back to see that the beast was gone.

And Will lying face down on the ground in a growing pool of his own blood.

"There is another matter that I fell we need to discuss."

Bran Davies looked at the professor confused.

"Is this about Will?"

The headmaster chuckled.

"Yes – on two accounts."

The cryptic statement confused the man even more.  Dumbledore held out a picture, and Bran took it.  Shocked, he recognized it as the picture of him and Will Stanton that he placed on Will's grave.  He frowned at the headmaster.

"Where did you get this?"

"From your son.  I was wondering if you could tell me about the boy in the picture."

"Why?"

Dumbledore just smiled enigmatically.  Bran sighed, if the rumours were true there was no point in trying to get an explanation from Dumbledore when he didn't wish to give one.

"He was my best friend when I was younger.  We met when he was recovering from an illness at his uncle's farm in Wales."

He smiled.

"Will never treated me differently; not when he first met me or when he heard about me being adopted.  He was my first real friend.  Hell, he even introduced me to my wife, Jane."

Bran's eyes glazed over as he thought of his long lost friend.

"There was something so extraordinarily ordinary about him.  At times he would be so quiet that you would forget he was even there, but then he would say something profound and all of a sudden all your attention was focused on him."

"Poor Will," he chuckled, "he was late hitting puberty; I don't think he grew an inch in the time I knew him.  Maybe that's why he seemed older than his years, because he looked so young.  You never knew what he was thinking or feeling, but he always seemed to know what was bothering you."

Bran thought back to a time when he had teased Will about looking so young – telling him it was nature's way of reminding him he was the youngest in the family.  Instead of laughing along with Bran, like Bran thought he would, Will had looked at him with a strange expression on his face.  It was a mixture of sadness, and longing, but also of pride.  Within seconds it melted away and Will was laughing like he was supposed to.  But Bran had always wondered what had caused his friend to look at him that way.  It was moments like that that made Bran wonder if the English boy was really two different people – the normal Will and the _dewin_ Will.

"When you thought something would make him laugh he was serious; he'd laugh at things others took for granted; he treated folklore like fact and history like stories.  Even being his best friend, I had no idea what motivated Will to act like he did – maybe as we grew up…"

Dumbledore spoke for the first time since Bran had started reminiscing.

"How did he die?"

"It was his fourteenth birthday – he went out for a walk by river and never came back.  He must have drowned, but we never found the body.  The police suspected that he might have runaway, but nothing was missing from Will's room – except Will.  I'll always remember the last words he said to me; like he knew that it was going to be the last time he talked to me."

Bran stared straight at the professor.

"He told me, 'There is no great evil out there trying to convert men. The evil in the world comes from men's own hearts. Nor is King Arthur or Merlin waiting to awaken and save men from themselves. But that means that all the good people do comes from within.'  It was because of those words that I became a constable.  I wanted to protect the people, instead of waiting for someone else to do it for me.  So why is it I am getting the feeling that your asking me these questions for the very same reason?"

Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak when Munin came flying in the room.  The bird settled beside Fawkes and began mewing fiercely.  Large tears dropped from the death phoenix's eyes, causing the floor dissolve where they hit.  A sad death phoenix was just as dangerous as an angry one, for its tears were a vile poison – where Fawkes's tears would heal.  As quickly as it arrived, Munin left and Fawkes flew onto the headmaster's shoulder.

"What is it Fawkes?"

The bird flew off and the two men followed quickly. Just outside in the hallway, Minerva started as the objects of her search suddenly appeared.

"Albus, some of the children have been injured."

"Who?" Bran asked, panic swelling through him.

"Will Davies, Harry Potter, and Will."

The three adults rushed to the infirmary.  Lupin and Snape were already there, being the first teachers to hear the boys' screams.  They had initially been relieved to find Davies and Potter suffering from shock, but having no real injuries.  Then they had spotted Will.

"Davies and Potter are shaken, but Pompey said they will be fine…but Will is gravely injured," Snape said quietly.  Though having no love for the boy, Snape held a certain respect for the child who refused to be cowed by the Potions Professor.  Bran ignored the other adults and rushed to his son's sleeping side, ignoring everything else. 

"What happened?" Minerva asked, who had left in search of Dumbledore before learning the story.

"We don't know for sure, yet, but Will looks to have been attacked by an animal of some sort.  The other two have been too shaken to tell us more," Lupin said anxiously, eyeing the three boys lying still on their beds.  Pompey approached the professors with a serious look upon her face.

"Davies and Potter as sleeping of a potion, and will be fine in the morning, but…I'm afraid Will has lost a lot of blood, and none of the spells are working.  I don't understand why, and if we don't figure out soon we are going to lose him."

Fawkes and Munin flew past the adults and landed beside Will.  Great tears flowed from Fawkes' eyes but not even the phoenix's tears could heal the boy.  Munin squawked angrily at the prone figure.  Worried about his son as he was, the sudden arrival of the birds brought Bran's attention to the other boy for the first time.  His face paled as he recognized the pale figure.

"Oh my god, Will?"

Whether in response to Munin's prodding, or the sound of his name, Will groaned and opened his eyes.  The first thing he noticed was the pain on his back, but even stronger was the pain in his chest.  A growing heat spread throughout his body, and the Old One knew what he had to do.  Grunting, he slowly sat up, ignoring the protests from the phoenixes and adults. 

He stopped suddenly as he spotted Bran sitting by his son's beside.  If he wasn't in so much pain he would have worried about what Bran's arrival meant, but now all he understand and cared about was the pain – and his duty. 

Munin kept everyone away as Will inched slowly towards Davies – his breathing becoming more and more laboured and blood leaving a trail behind.  He stopped by Davies' bed and placed a gentle hand on his forehead.  Pompey was about to protest that Davies wouldn't awaken for several hours when the boy's eyes shot open.  Confused by his surroundings, Davies looked at his dad.

"Da? Where?"

Davies could feel a radiant warmth coming from his right and he turned to see Will – to his eyes it seemed as if Will was standing in the sun and was covered in its warmth and brightness.  The Old One smiled gently down at the boy, saddened by the awe in his eyes because he knew they would turn to anger when he learned what Will had done to him.  Will brought Davies' hand to his chest and said calmly, "This is yours, I have kept it for you."

The Pendragon was confused until suddenly he could _see_ – it was there, waiting, for him.  Unconsciously he whispered, "Come."

The Old One groaned, but the Pendragon continued to call – his voice growing in volume and intensity.  A bright flash swept through the room, and when their sight returned Davies was holding a sword in his hand.  The Pendragon stared at it in wonder, and unbidden a word flashed through his mind.

"Eirias," he said in wonder.  Bran looked at his son sharply, the word causing…feelings? A memory?  Whatever it was left as quickly as it came, but Bran still felt as if he was close to remembering something important.  He looked at the boy that was the spitting image of his dead friend, and was shocked to see a scar in the shape of the sword across his chest. 

The Old One ignored the gasps from the others and went down on one knee.  At this moment, he didn't bother worrying about the others in the room finding out about him being an Old One; they were all the Pendragon's professors, teachers, and except from the law. 

"I, Will the Watchman, Signkeeper, and youngest of the Old Ones, greet you, my Lord Will ap Bran ap Arthur – Pendragon and heir to Eirias."

And having used the last of his strength, Will collapsed.

TBC

A/N: 

**Maethoriell Uini Tawar – **well here's your chapter, which means this fic is perfect! 

**Lady Katia** – you have no idea how long it took me to write the last part of that chapter.  I created and discarded literally 9 different fears for Will before I came up with one I actually liked.  **::grrrrr::** I hate it when that happens – too many ideas!

**Blindseer** – if anyone complains about the Will whumping, I'm blaming it all on you!  But you were right, I love the Will character so much I just didn't want to see him get hurt.  But it was time, and thank you for reminding me.  ::sigh:: poor will

**Ruth** – well, here is the meeting between Will and Bran…oooohhhhhhh.  And you're thinking of john rowlands who knew about the old ones, but his memory was wiped when he had to choose what time Bran belonged in so he wouldn't remember that his wife was a Dark Rider.  Thanx again for the pics!  It kind of reminds me a bit of Alberta…

**Bluie Twilight Star** – ah, Bran missed Will so much!  Now they finally meet… I wonder what's going to happen next.  ---  Really, I wonder, I have no idea what I'm going to do next.

**Lembas7 -- ** I hope this chapter met your high expectations.  If you send me your email address – or email me – I'm going to take you up on your offer to beta read this story since its all starting to blur after I write a chapter.

**Star Light1 – **here yeah go, Will is now the Pendragon!  And although there was little Sirius in this chapter, there will be more to come!  And thanks for the compliment about the end of the chapter – it only took me two hours to write!  (I had a hard time…stupid overactive imagination)

**Obdormio** – I passed along your regard to my roommate – he just grinned maniacally and said thank you.  Fortunately, I move out in two weeks so I'll have my computer all to myself again and can update what I want to and when.  Unfortunately, that means until the actual move everything is slow in updating.  But soon, the long waits will be over

Thanks everyone for continuing to read after such long periods of wait.  And if there are errors, that's because my brain is slowly melting – but I'll be back to normal soon (stupid move!).  Hold on just a little longer – I swear! 


	10. Ch 10 Consequences

A/N:  Sorry for the lack of updates of late – mixture of work, writer's block and brand new xbox game :p  But updates should be fairly regular from now on (hopefully) so I hope everyone enjoys the update…some of the mysteries will be answered!

Immortal Destiny

Chapter 10 – Consequences

_Will watched his mentor leave for Avalon with a heavy heart.  He was the last of the Old Ones, the Watchman, and already he was feeling the burden and loneliness of that existence.  Turning, he saw Bran and the others begin their journey back to their own time._

_Will sighed; he knew when the mists parted they would not longer remember the adventure they had all shared – or Will's true nature. Merriman's spell would take care of that and only another Old One could hope to break the memory block.  But there were no Old One's left, and Will knew that while he would be tempted, he could never betray the trust of his people._

_The Old One started down the hill when he felt a hand on his shoulder.  Turning, he was surprised to see King Arthur, the Pendragon, and High Lord of the High Magic._

_"My lord," Will said, bowing, and looked at the High Lord questionably.  Arthur took Erias – the Sword of the Light – and held it out to Will.  He took it hesitantly, a question in his eyes._

_"You are no longer the Signseeker but the Signkeeper – even though you're quest is done and the Signs have been used for the purpose they were created, they still hold great power.  As does Erias, which is why I wish for you to be the keeper of it as well."_

_Will frowned._

_"It may be the Sword of the Light, created by the order of and for the Light, but it was meant only to handled by the Pendragon.  Bran is no longer the Pendragon; he has given up his heritage from the past for a new one of the future – which is as it should be."_

_"That is true – but his children have not rejected the legacy."_

_The Old One looked at the Pendragon sharply.  The lord's face remained neutral, giving nothing away as to his thoughts.  _

_The sword lifted on its own before Will -- who stared at it in aw.  It grew brighter and brighter until all it was, was a beacon of light.  It moved towards Will quickly and the Old One felt his chest grow warm.  The pain increased and just when he felt it would be too much for him, the pain abruptly left and the sword was gone._

_No, not gone, Will thought, gingerly touching his chest._

_"I hope you never have need of Erias, Old One."_

_Arthur's words brought Will out of his reverie._

_"Just as the time of the Light and Dark is over – so is that of the Pendragon."_

Will Davies, the Pendragon, sat by his friend's bed – watching over him carefully as he slept.  It had been a week since Will had given Davies Erias – still having not awakened from the sleep that engulfed him after he collapsed. 

Harry and Davies had been released a few days after the incident, neither of the boys suffering from serious injuries.  Except those to the heart and the mind.

Harry would disappear for hours, or else was with Professor Moody.  Hermione and Ron said that he was learning a spell to defend himself against the Dementors.  Davies knew that Harry had been having nightmares caused by the Dementors, having woken up Davies on a number of occasions during their stay at the infirmary.  Davies shuddered whenever he thought about how close the Dementors had come to killing them.  They would have succeeded if it wasn't for Will…

Davies looked at the sword hanging on his hip – visible only to him.

_What did Will do?_ Davies wondered, not for the first time.

A small cough drew Davies attention away from Will and he was started to see that it was his father.  Bran Davies had been gone most of the week – the disappearance of Sirius Black taking precedence over everything else.

Even the reappearance of a long dead friend.

"Da, what are you doing here?" he asked, surprised to see his father.  They hadn't had a moment to talk about…everything…since Bran had to work, and Davies had spent most of his time sleeping to recover his strength.

Bran Davie smiled at his son, and walked slowly towards the bed.  Gently, the man brushed a hair from his friend's face.

"There's nothing more I can do now except wait for Sirius Black to show himself.  I figured it didn't matter where I waited, so why not here?" Bran replied, his eyes never leaving Will.

"Da, is that really Will….I mean, _your_ Will."

"Yes."  There wasn't a second hesitation in his reply.

"But how do you know?" Davies asked desperately, trying to make sense out of recent events.  And he didn't know what he wanted to be true anymore.

"I could tell by his eyes, when he gave you that sword.  Will always looked content and calm, but underneath the surface there was a great sadness in his eyes – as if he had a great burden he couldn't forsake."

_"You have come to a decision, Will?"_

_"Yes, I have."_

_Will turned from his comrades and began the long trip back to Earth.  As the mists covered him completely, he sensed another's presence.  Spinning quickly, the Old One was shocked to see King Arthur once more._

_"My lord," he said, nodding his head slightly.  The other returned the courtesy, acknowledging that they were now equals.  _

_"You have decided to wake the Pendragon, then, young Will," Arthur stated, rather than questioned.  The Old One nodded, knowing the High Lord needed no verbal confirmation – rather, merely acknowledging he had heard the statement._

_"Will Davies may never forgive you for what you will do.  The World of Man is just that – to be saved or destroyed by Man alone.  The time of the battle between the Light and Dark is over, as I have said before."_

_"Yes, but the Dark has a found a channel for their powers, even across Space and Time…I must do everything to stop it."_

__

"Da, before I got the sword from Will…he did something else too…" Davies started slowly, not making eye contact with his dad.  "When we were in the forest and we were attacked by the Dementors…Will did some kind of spell."

Davies looked up at his dad with tears in his eyes.

"That's why he was hurt!  He didn't protect himself because he was too busy helping Harry and me."

"How exactly did the spell help you?" Bran asked quietly, sitting down with his son and putting an arm around the young boy's shoulders.

"It was like, I suddenly filled with this energy…and I _knew _how to protect myself…and suddenly this blue dragon appeared and destroyed the Dementors.  It felt like…like…coming home."

_Arthur regarded Will silently for a moment, then sighed heavily._

_"Yes, that is the way of the Light and of the High Magic.  What must be done -- must be done no matter the cost – and often the doing what is right is rewarded with pain.  The High Magic is not at the service of the Light – even now, that cannot be changed.  Even though you are doing your duty, to call forth High Magic will demand a price of you."_

_"I know," the Old One answered firmly, calmly accepting the reality for what it was.  "And because I know of it, I can accept it.  That is the real horror of what I must do to Will Davies.  Because I will not risk the asking, for fear he might refuse."_

_Arthur nodded._

_"When will you tell him?"_

_"After the final battle – after everything is said and done."_

_"What if he refuses?"_

_The two powerful figures looked into each other eyes, sharing the knowledge of what was to come, and how much suffering it would cause.  Will broke the shared gaze and turned his head towards where he perceived Avalon to be._

_"Living in Avalon is not a prison; he will accept…eventually."_

__

A slight movement from the bed startled the two Davies.  Realizing that Will was waking up, Davies hurried to grab Pompey.  Bran stayed by his friend's side, holding his hand, and waited.

Will slowly awakened, letting his senses explore outwards.  He knew who held his hand; he felt the Pendragon and Pompey enter the room; recognized the two glowing points of power coming towards him – Dumbledore and Harry.

Slowly opening his eyes, he looked into the worried one's of his – former? – best friend

"Hallo, _dewin._"

The Old One smiled at that gentle greeting, taking a moment to bask in his friend's happiness at his return – he knew he would have few moments of peace from now on.

His attention was drawn back to Davies as he came, dragging Pompey behind him.  Will's eyes were drawn to the sword hanging at the boy's hip, and Davies followed the look, realizing that Will could see the sword though no one else could.  Even Dumbledore and Harry.

"Thanks for the neat sword, Will," Davis said cheekily, and the Old One chuckled at how like his dad the young boy was.

Pompey muttered and fretted but Will was completely healed, as was the purpose of the healing sleep.  Dumbledore and Harry walked into the room unnoticed, except by Will, of course.  Harry finally could no longer restrain himself and went flying at his friend – pulling him into a big hug to Pompey's dismay.

"I am glad you are feeling better, Will Stanton."

Harry felt Will tense in the hug, before the Old One gently disentangled himself from his friend.  For the first time, the Old One returned the gaze of the Headmaster.  Dumbledore had known Will was powerful, but was shocked by the intensity of the gaze.  The boys looked at their friend, surprised though they had suspected that Will was more than he seemed.  Bran frowned as he tried to reconcile the various images of Will in his mind.  Though the look on Will's face brought a feeling of recognition – nostalgia – but it was gone before Bran could place it.

"That I am, Albus Dumbledore.  I thank you for your concern."

TBC

**Lyapunov** – wow, I'm so glad that this story made your day.  I'm glad that everyone thinks I'm capturing Will's character, because I admire Susan Cooper so much and I want to do her work justice.

**Lady Tigress –** for my safety, I promise you I will finish this.  It may take a while, since I really don't have a firm plotline in my head (absolutely no ending), I'm just going with what feels right.  I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

**Dark Countess1 – **Yeah, I realized too late that I hadn't really developed Will Davies' character as much as I would have liked, but there should be more development as the story progresses.

**Aquilastor – **Glad you like the crossover! I couldn't find many good DiRS crossovers (with anything) so I thought I'd give it a go.  It's turning out better than I thought it would. 

**Starr Light1 – **As I hope you caught in the chapter, Will can release the memory block, but will he choose to?  There's a lot to lose either way…

**Lembas7 – **well, I hope some of your questions have been answered with the chapter!  Still more to come :P  As you noticed, I didn't get you to beta this chapter mainly because I was so late in updating I thought I should just post it.  Got your email address, so expect the next chapter inside of a week.

**Icepyro – **Thanks for reviewing every chapter :P  I'm glad you took the time to do so – and as much as I love your [fav thing] I love evil cliffhangers ---  they bring me amusement.

**Ruth – **Well, some things have been explained – but I'm afraid what Will will have to sacrifice is going to be left as a mystery for a little bit longer.

**Obdormio – **Hope that chapter all of your questions.  Even though the High Magic is basically in charge, it must abide by its own rules, because that is its nature.

**Bluie Twilight Star – **I hope you got a kick out of everyone's reactions, just like I did!


	11. Ch 11 Law of Silence

A/N: sorry for the long hiatus, hope the next chapter is worth it. The poem in the following chapter is not mine (I wish), but my friend Krissy wrote it and graciously allowed me to use it. She is a wonderful writer and I highly recommend her Dark is Rising story "And One Go Alone" in the DiRS category (which I beta so you know it HAS to be good ;p)

Double-check and make sure that the last chapter was the last one you have read.

Chapter 11 – The Law of Silence

Will sat in his bed, calmly stroking Munin knowing that having the bird near would prevent unwanted visitors. The stage has been set and the characters are in play, soon the Dark would make its move and the Old One had to make sure his own pieces were ready.

The Old One frowned as he considered his next move. So many restrictions bound his movements, and the time for delicacy was fast approaching its end. By the Law of Silence, the professors of Hogwarts could be made aware of the threat of the Dark, but the most crucial piece in the battle could not know.

Harry.

Scowling, Will recounted the prophecy over in his head. As with all prophecies, its true meaning would not be known until moments before it came to pass. But one thing was certain; Harry Potter was the key to Voldemort – and the Dark's – defeat. Even so, by law he could not be told about the Dark or the Light or many of the factors that would influence his battle. If that remained the case, the chances of Harry surviving his destiny decreased.

At the moment, all Will could do was hope that Sirius and Lupin could prepare Harry for the battle ahead. Now, his duty was to the newly claimed Pendragon, who still had to be trained to use the High Magic that was his birthright. Will rubbed his temples tiredly; he was not looking forward to explaining the 'facts of life' to several disbelieving wizards and a worried father.

You know, you wouldn't be having this problem if you had listened to me in the first place and hadn't done that spell.

Will glared at the phoenix in his lap, which only made the bird chuckle. The bird quieted and regarded his master intently.

_Still, do you think calling forth the Pendragon will be enough to stop the Dark?_

_No, in truth, I am not sure why I called the Pendragon – except that an instinct urged me too. No, Harry Potter is the key._

_The boy has power…buried deep but there…but I do not think he can stop the Dark._

_Nor do I, but I suspect that defeating Voldemort and defeating the Dark shall be two separate things. The Dark will not be satisfied with channelling all their power through one being – it's a dangerous gamble as it is. As soon as they are strong enough, they will branch out further and I'm afraid there are many willing to be recipients for the Dark. _

Distantly, the two could hear the sounds of footsteps echoing through the castle halls.

_It would appear that the wizards have finished their deliberations and are coming for answers, _Munin said with amusement.

Fawkes appeared and settled on Will's shoulder. The boy reached up and stroked the bird's throat gently.

_Any last minute advice? _The Old One asked the phoenix curiously. The bird cocked his head to the side, considering.

Not really. You have them pretty confused, Old One. The Pendragon's father has been telling them tales of the Old Ones, but the wizards are sceptical – I don't think they are willing to accept that you are Will Stanton, let alone a mythical creature. As for Dumbledore, as usual he probably knows more than he's letting on.

At that Will smiled, and Munin gave him a questioning look.

Speaking of Bran Davies, what about the possibility of his memory returning?

Will shook his head firmly.

He might receive flashes, but the spell Merriman placed on everyone is too strong to be broken like this. Only I or another Old One could remove it.

What about the new Pendragon? Fawkes asked curiously.

Startled, Will rolled the question over in his head but before he could answer the doors to the infirmary swung open revealing the entire teaching staff of Hogwarts, along with Bran Davies. The Old One fought to keep the smile off his face as he noticed the determined looks of his teacher's faces.

You would think they were off to face Voldemort himself, he thought with amusement.

"Well, Will Stanton, you have certainly created quite an uproar," Dumbledore said mildly, the Old One noting that the headmaster had used his full name. "Perhaps it is time you told us who you really are."

Will cocked his head and wondered out loud, "Where should I start?"

"The beginning would be a good place," came Snape's snide remark.

"Okay," Will grinned, "In the beginning there was light…"

"I think, perhaps, you're beginning would be better," Dumbledore interrupted, a twinkle in his eye betraying his amusement. Will nodded and started again.

"I was born Will Stanton, as I'm sure Bran as told you. My life was fairly ordinary until my eleventh birthday. That's the day I was truly born, and I came into my powers as an Old One. I was the youngest, and the last to be born, and my coming to power completed a great circle of Old Ones that spans time and space. It was my duty to help stop the last Rising of the Dark and cast if forever from this world. When that task was completed, I returned home to my family until I could no longer stay. As an Old One, I am immortal – I shall look as I do now until the Sun dies out and the Earth with it. So, I left."

"But why didn't you tell us? Why did you make us think you were dead?" Bran asked angrily, feeling betrayed that his best friend hadn't trusted him enough to tell him.

"Mortals aren't supposed to know of our existence, outside of fairytales, it would do them no good to know so their memories are erased. As for wizards…there is the Law of Silence."

"Law of Silence?" Minerva asked.

"The law states that no wizard may be allowed to know of or suspect the existence of the Light or of the Dark, for their interference might bring forth the end of the world."

"So what if one did? Did you erase their memories?" a teacher asked.

"No…" Will said slowly, "They would be killed."

Several teachers gasped in shock, and others reached for their wands. Dumbledore raised a hand to still their movements, and regarded Will seriously.

"But you are breaking that law now."

"No, there is one exception. The teachers and advisors to a Lord of High Magic are exempt from this rule; and since Will Davies is now the Pendragon, you all are exempt. However, should you reveal this information to anyone else outside this room…you and they would be killed immediately."

"Why are you revealing your presence now?"

"Voldemort has managed to gain access to the powers of the Dark," Will replied seriously, his boyish amusement coming to an end – replacing it with urgency of an Old One. The adults involuntarily took steps back as Will's voice deepened and the air around him seemed to thicken with power.

"The Dark exist for the sole purpose of ruling the world and plunging it into the abyss. They have no other purpose; they cannot be reasoned with or killed, and the only ones who can fight them are those of the Light. Like the Dark, the Light exists only to stop the Dark from taking hold of this world. After several millennia, we have managed to drive the Dark from this world, but Voldemort has become a conduit for their return."

"Why can't the other Old One's help?" Bran asked.

"All the other Old One's have left for Avalon. I am the only one to remain, acting as a Watchman until it is my turn to rest. However, even I must treat warily. I cannot influence human history directly, and this situation with Voldemort treads on the very edges of the laws sent down by the High Magic. I can, however, train the Pendragon to aid Harry Potter in his destiny."

At the end of his statement, he turned towards the doorway where Will Davies now stood. The professors looked at the boy in shock.

"How did you get passed the barriers?" one teacher asked in shock.

Will just looked at them in confusion and asked, "What's barriers?"

Only Will and Dumbledore chuckled at the exchange, as elders do at the antics of those younger than themselves. At that moment, Dumbledore truly realized that though he looked at the face of a boy – he was, in fact, in the presence of someone far older than himself. Will returned the headmaster's gaze with a small grin, as if he knew about the wizard's realization.

Perhaps he did, Albus acknowledged realizing for the first time he did not have most of the answers. The old ones returned their attention back to the others.

"As a lord of High Magic, Will Davies has the ability – even subconsciously – to deflect most wizard magic. Once he learns to control it, all spells except the most powerful like the Unspeakable curses will have no effect on him whatsoever."

Bran watched his son in amazement. His boy had always been friendly, but never comfortable being the centre of attention. But now Will stood unflinching under the scrutiny of his teachers, looking at them regally with an air of confidence and purpose. Feelings of envy and nostalgia welled within him, and he turned away from his son in shame…only to see Will Stanton looking at his intently.

A look on speculation and worry on his face, that vanished within moments leaving behind the detached friendly look that Bran remembered his friend wearing so often. Only now he realized that this was just a mask that Will hid behind. Recalling the number of times he had seen his friend with that expression, Bran wondered just how much the other boy had kept from him.

Was still keeping from him.

After hinting, then suggestion, and then finally threatening the two boys found themselves alone. The two sat in silence; Will waiting for Davies to speak, and Davies struggling to understand everything that was happening.

It wasn't everyday you became the legendary Pendragon and now have an Old One as your teacher.

"So you're my teacher…does this mean I'm going to have twice as much homework?"

The Old One laughed, and it reminded Davies of when Dumbledore chuckled when he asked a particularly naïve question.

"No, High Magic cannot be taught with texts and practice. You already know instinctively how to use your magic, I just need to let your mind know that you know."

"Ah, okay…" Davies said, not understanding. Will chuckled again and shifted on the bed to look at the young Pendragon.

"How about we have our first lesson? Close your eyes."

Obediently Davies closed his eyes and was startled to hear Will begin to sing.

_Call me not an animal, for I am not a beast._

_Call me not a holy one, for I am not a priest._

_Call me one of words, inspired by the least._

_Call me one of sight, finding beauty in the beast._

_I care for not the feathers, the beauty of the dove, _

Instead who people really are and what they truly love.

_For nasty on the outside, is not what it may seem,_

For those in love, the dreary face becomes a cherished dream.

As Will completed each line, Davies felt as if a doorway was opening in his mind. It wasn't as if he was learning something new…more like, he was remembering. He was the Pendragon, a Lord of High Magic and he knew what that meant completely for the first time.

_So hear my words of wisdom, if that is what you seek,_

_Look beyond a person's face; care not if they are weak._

_And if the search is deep and true, the soul is really found,_

_You'll find that life, though full of quirks, is on less shaky ground._

_And once you've found the core, the spirit of your friend,_

_The pathway has been opened up, no starting or an end._

_This road, it may be travelled, and prudence I advise,_

But if the road is travelled right, it'll open up thine eyes.

He understood the nature of the Light and of the Dark: their purpose and existence. He saw humanity as it was and what it could be; he saw the flow of magic as it influenced the universe. He finally simply _saw_.

_So now you've heard me out, my words are almost through,_

_But there, dear friend, is one more thing that must be said to you._

_Though it's hard to see, the beauty that we seek inside,_

_Is only hidden by our doubts, waiting to be swept aside._

Will's voice trailed off and Davies slowly opened his eyes. It seemed to him as if the word had changed. Looking around the infirmary, he could see the leftover spells glittering in the air like sparkles. He felt the presence of High Magic all around him – at his command. Inside, he felt his soul burn with the knowledge of who he was and what he was.

He turned to the Old One in amazement, who just grinned and said smugly.

"Lesson one complete."

TBC


End file.
